Children head to schools, shops open as life returns to normalcy in violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri

With regular traffic on roads and shops opening shutters, life slowly returned to normalcy on Tuesday in violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri, a district shaken by violence during a farmers' protest two days back in which eight lives were lost.

Security personnel stood on guard at places on the way to Tikonia village where the incidents unfolded ahead of a visit to the district by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday.

Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Maurya. The others, including BJP workers, were allegedly dragged out of the vehicles and lynched.

Two days on, regular activities were witnessed near the Lakhimpur railway station and other market places where vendors and shops were operating as usual.

Children in uniform headed for schools and coaching institutes, and vehicles, including public transport, were plying normally in the district headquarters as well as in Tikonia, around 60 km away.

Binod Singh, a vendor near the railway station, said, ''We have to take care of our livelihood also and that's why we are working.'' Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC is still in force in Lakhimpur and internet services restricted.

There was a substantial police presence in Naghasan tehsil on the way to Tikonia under which Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra's native village, Banbirpur, falls.

The minister is in the eye of the storm, and an FIR has been registered against his son, Ashish Mishra, in connection with Sunday's incident.

There was a rush of people at the Gurdwara Kodhiwala Ghat Sahib, some distance away from the spot of the violence. Many vehicles bearing registration numbers of Punjab, Uttarakhand and Haryana were parked at the gurdwara.

The Tikonia police station was functioning normally, but the personnel refused to entertain questions on the FIRs lodged and the subsequent action taken.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)