Varun Gandhi pays tribute to farmers killed in Lakhimpuri Kheri, urges CBI probe, aid to kin

Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) Varun Gandhi on Sunday wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident demanding strict action against culprits and suggested a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe in time bound manner in the case.

Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) Varun Gandhi on Monday wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident demanding strict action against culprits and suggested a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe in time bound manner in the case. The MP from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit paid tribute to farmers killed in the incident and said that Rs 1 crore compensation should be given to families of victims.

"The incident of brutal mowing down of farmers protesting in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 is heart-wrenching. It has caused rage and pain among citizens in the country... The incident is unforgivable. Protesters are our citizens. If they have problems with some issues and are protesting within their democratic rights then we should keep restraint and be patient while dealing with them," read Gandhi's letter translated from Hindi. "I pay my tribute to farmers killed in the incident and express condolences to their families," it said.

Varun Gandhi requested Adityanath to "identify all suspects in the incident and take strict action against them by registering a murder case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code." "In this regard, it will be suitable to bring all culprits to justice by a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe in a time-bound manner," he stated.

Several Opposition leaders from various parties including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav are also scheduled to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today. The District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri has imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits the assembly of five or more people at a time, in the district.

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)

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