Viral Video Appears To Show Farmers Being Run Over By SUV In UP District
A video of an SUV ramming the sloganeering farmers marching in a line in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri over the weekend has surfaced on social media. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the incident.
The video, being shared widely on social media, is yet to be verified by the police. NDTV cannot independently verify its authenticity. It is not clear from the visuals who is in the driving seat.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi – who was first detained, then arrested and was not allowed to meet the families of farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri – tweeted the viral video clip today targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“@narendramodi Sir, your government has kept me in custody for the last 28 hours without any order and FIR. This person who crushed the annadata (farmers) has not been arrested yet. Why?” tweeted Priyanka Gandhi this morning.
In the 25-second video clip, one can see farmers falling to the ground as the vehicle hits them, while others scramble to get out of the way. Another vehicle, with sirens blaring, is seen tailing the SUV that rammed the farmers.
The video matches descriptions given to NDTV by farmers at the spot on Sunday who said the vehicle hit them from behind catching them unawares. The make and colour of the lead SUV that rams the farmers in the video also matches other visuals from the site.
On Sunday, a group of protesting farmers in Tikonia area of Kheri tried to block Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya from visiting. The protesters were upset over a recent speech by Mr Mishra.
The farmers claimed the violence broke out after a car in the minister’s convoy ran over protesters. Visuals from the area showed arson and vehicles set on fire. They have alleged that the car was driven by the Union Minister’s son Ashish.
A murder case has been filed against Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son.
Minister Ajay Mishra says he is not aware about any FIR against his son. He has also denied that his son was linked to the violence. “My son wasn’t present at the spot. There were miscreants who attacked workers with sticks and swords. Had my son been there, he wouldn’t have come out alive,” Mr Mishra, the junior Home Minister, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “My son was present at the venue of the (Deputy Chief Minister’s) event… all through, I was accompanying the deputy chief minister,” he said.
The government has promised to pay a compensation of ₹ 45 lakh to the families of those who died. The injured will receive a compensation of ₹ 10 lakh. A retired judge will investigate the matter, the state government has said.