Lakhimpur Kheri Massacre was a vehicle-ramming attack and mob lynching incident that took place during farmer’s protest against the three farm laws passed by the BJP led Union Government. This incident happened on the 3rd of October 2021 at Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, India that resulted in the deaths of eight people and ten people were injured. Four of the protestors and one journalist covering the protest were run over by the car, three individuals were lynched by the protestors in the violence followed by. This incident claimed the lives of both farmers and BJP Workers that were heading to block Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The leaders of this protest have claimed that Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was present in the car by which they knocked down the protestors.
About The Incident
On the 3rd of October, hundreds of farmers in the Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh were returning after doing protests as a part of the 2020-2021 Indian farmers’ protest against the 3 bills passed by the BJP led government. Protesters were blocking UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Bandipur village. Meanwhile, during the act that was going on, protestors were hit by a Thar SUV. The hitting done by the SUV was followed by other vehicles and this is what crushed the previously injured people hit by the SUV.
In this incident, as mentioned earlier eight people including four farmers died and then of them were injured. Out of the protestors, two were declared dead on the spot after being run over by the car and two more protestors who were injured died in the hospital. A 28 years old journalist, Raman Kashyap working with a private TV news channel was also killed in the incident. After this event of lynching started, protestors also started behaving violently and three persons in the Ministry convoy were lynched by the farmers, the victims were drivers of Ajay Mishra and two other BJP workers.
Two of the cars involved were owned by the Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and according to people who eyewitnessed the incident, the minister’s son, Ashish Mishra was in a car that was particularly involved in the incident. This peaceful protest was converted into a blood-shedding event after the incident done by the cars that were completely inhumane and out of the line.
10 Facts About The Lakhimpur Kheri Massacre
Here are the facts you should know about the Lakhimpur incident:
- The protest was not at all violent until two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of protestors who were protesting against the three farmer bill passed by the BJP led Union Government. At the moment, they all were protesting against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya at Tikonia-Banbirpur road on the 3rd of October.
- Eyewitnesses have stated that Union Minister of State, Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was involved in the violence caused by the outsiders. The Union Minister Ajay Mishra has denied such allegations made against him. He said “ My son was present at the venue of the ( UP deputy chief minister’s ) event and hundreds of thousands of people, officers of the administration and the police were present there” he also included. Some elements in farmers, who were protesting were showing black flags and pelted stones on the car and that is why both of the cars rushed hence the two farmers came under the car. Three BJP workers and the driver of the car were lynched by the crowd and they are dead now. If he ( Ashish ) had been in the car, he would not be standing alive right now”.
- “The farmers had planned to gherao the helipad to stop the arrival of the deputy chief minister. Once that ended and most people were on their way back, three cars came and hit three farmers, one of the farmers died on the spot and another in the hospital” these are the words said by Dr. Darshan Pal who is a leader of the farmer’s union. He also stated that Ashish Mishra was in the car.
- Additional Chief Secretary for Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that two FIRs have been registered. He said that details of the sections under which the FIRs have been filed are not known. “FIR has been lodged against several persons, including Minister of State for Home, Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra”, he also said that a copy of the FIR registered was not yet available. With this, internet services have been suspended in the parts of Lakhimpur where the violence took place. Restrictions under CrPC section 144 prohibiting assembly of four or more people have been imposed according to officials.
- Leaders of Farmers have claimed that the vehicle knocked down some of the farmers protesting over the farm laws enacted at the center. The farmer’s union also announced a protest at district magistrate offices across the country.
- Rakesh Tikait is the individual who demanded Ashish Mishra’s dismissal and the registration of a case under the murder of his son. He claimed that the farmers were not only run over by the car but also fired upon.
- The case is completely against BJP and the opposition took the call. The opposition parties demanded a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe. The congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rashtriya Lok Dal are the parties who have demanded this probe and are currently standing opposite to BJP.
- Congress with some other parties demanded immediate termination of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra because of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s allegations on his son Ashish Mishra stating that he was present in the vehicles that were involved in the incident where farmer protests were killed.
- Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Varda and other leaders were detained in Sitapur to which the party alleged that they were not allowed to meet the victims of the family. Congress state president, Ajay Kumar Lallu stated “ Priyanka Gandhi, Deepender Singh Hooda, and other leaders were detained in Sitapur around 5 am and stopping them in such a way is undemocratic”.
- Supremo of BJP Mayawati demanded a judicial probe into the incident. He said that her party’s national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra was stopped in Lucknow for preventing him from reaching Lakhimpur. She said “BSP’s national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP SC Mishra was placed under house arrest late last night at his residence in Lucknow. It is continuing so that the party delegation under his leadership cannot reach Lakhimpur Kheri to get the correct report of the violence. This is deplorable.
She added “Due to the involvement of two BJP ministers in the Kheri case, a proper government investigation of this incident, justice to the victims, and strict punishment to the guilty does not seem possible. Therefore, this incident in which eight people have been confirmed dead so far requires a judicial inquiry. This is the demand of the BSP”.
Conclusion
The incident that took place in Lakhimpur was violent and non-ethical. India is a democratic country and everyone has a right to stand against the laws that feel problematic. These protests must be done in a peaceful manner and intrusions should not be made especially which result in violence. There are always two sides, one defending the topic and the other offending it but it should be kept in mind that neither of the parts is allowed to get violent.
The Lakhimpur Massacre took the life of several innocent farmers and a journalist who was just doing his job. It is unethical and very problematic. The cars which allegedly hit these people while they were returning from the protest led to violence in a peaceful protest. At all costs, justice should be served to the families of demises.