Lakhimpur Kheri incident: UP govt urges Lucknow airport not to allow Baghel, Punjab Dy CM to land

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 4 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh government has urged Lucknow airport not to allow Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder S Randhawa to land at the airport ahead of their scheduled visit to Lakhimpur Kheri today.

Awanish Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, in a letter to Lucknow airport authorities, said that the District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri has imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits assembly of five or more people at a time, and requested them not to allow the arrival of Baghel and Randhawa. 

Meanwhile, Baghel questioned the order and asked if civil rights have been suspended in Uttar Pradesh. 

“The government of Uttar Pradesh is issuing an order not to allow me to come to the state. Have civil rights been suspended in Uttar Pradesh? If Section 144 is in Lakhimpur, then why is the dictatorial government stopping you from landing in Lucknow?” Baghel tweeted.

Several Opposition leaders from various parties including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav are also scheduled to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today.

Baghel alleged that Priyanka Gandhi, who was on her way to Uttar Pradesh Lakhimpur Kheri district to visit the kin of the victims, has been arrested from Hargaon. 

"AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been arrested in Sitapur on his way to Lakhimpur. Deepender Hooda is also with him. After the killing of the farmers, now the democratic rights of the people are also being snatched away," he tweeted. 

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.

However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM's allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.

"...Some unruly elements attacked our workers, killed 4-5 of them. I was in Banbirpur from 9 am till the end...I have not been at the (incident) spot for two days...It could be that they don't like me and using politics... Allegations against me are completely baseless and I demand judicial inquiry of this matter and culprits should get punished," he said.

As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, said Uttar Pradesh police.

MoS Teni also said that his son was not present at the spot, adding that some miscreants mingled with protesting farmers and pelted the stones at the car which lead to the 'unfortunate incident'. (ANI)