Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Rakesh Tikait demands sacking of Ajay Mishra, arrest of all accused; warns of nationwide agitation

Tikait said the pact with the government was reached after consulting the victims' families and farmers

Striking an aggressive tone two days after a 'compromise', the farmer leaders on Wednesday warned of a ''massive agitation'' unless Union Minister of State for Home Ajai Mishra was 'sacked' and his son Ashish, who is accused of running over four farmers with his SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday.

''We are giving the government six days' time... the minister must be sacked and his son must be arrested and sent to jail... we will launch a massive agitation if our demands are not met,'' Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said in Lakhimpur Kheri.

He said that the farmers had agreed to call off their agitation on the condition that the minister would be sacked and his son would be arrested. ''The compromise is not about compensation... we will return the money to the government if the latter thinks so,'' he added.

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According to the police sources here, Ashish Mishra, who was booked for murder, was likely to be called for questioning by the special investigation team (SIT), which was probing the incident in which eight persons, including four farmers, were killed. The minister was also booked for conspiracy.

Sources said that security personnel in strength were deployed around the residence of the minister in the district. ''He (Ashish) could be arrested after questioning,'' said a police official in Lakhimpur Kheri preferring anonymity.

The police had appealed to the people to make available the videos pertaining to Sunday's violence at Tikonia in the district. At least two videos were already circulating on social networking sites. One of them showed an SUV running over a crowd of what looked like farmers on a dusty village road.

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The police have however asked the people not to share unverified video and information pertaining to the incident on social media and warned of action against anyone found doing so.

It was yet to be ascertained if Ashish Mishra was inside the vehicle that ran over the farmers. One of the injured farmers, who was under treatment at a Delhi hospital, claimed that Ashish was in the vehicle.

Eight persons, including four farmers and a local journalist, were killed at Tikonia in the district after hundreds of farmers tried to waive black flag and block the visit of Ajai Mishra and UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya to attend a function on Monday.

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