Lakhimpur Kheri: Priyanka Gandhi Pays Her Respects To Slain Farmers, Ashish Mishra Interrogated

The last funeral rites of the four farmers killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence last week was held in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday amid major crowds. From Monday night onward, hundreds of protesters and supporters from outside the state started pouring in to offer their last prayers or "antim ardas" to the farmers who lost their lives in the October 3 violence.

The "antim ardas" for all the slain farmers is being organised in Tikonia at a field away from the spot where the violence took place in the village. Political leaders like Congress's Priyanka Gandhi paid their respects to the farmers.

Meanwhile, developments unfolded quickly in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case with MoS Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra being taken for questioning by the Crime Branch following his arrest on Saturday.

The Rakesh Tikait-led Bhartiya Kisan Union, one of the organisers of the "Antim Ardas" ceremony, had asserted that no politicians or police will be given the stage to speak and that only farmers would address the event. 

Nevertheless, Congress leader and UP Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the site to pay her final



respects. She was on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri early on Tuesday morning.

Some Congress leaders were allegedly stopped from entering Lakhimpur Kheri, according to reports. Taking to social media, Congress tweeted visuals of Congress workers being stopped by police at Sitapur, en route to Lakhimpur.

On Saturday, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha gave a call for a Shaheed Kisan Kalash Yatra which is set to commence today from Lakhimpur Kheri. SKM leader Yogendra Yadav appealed to citizens to light five candles out of their houses at 7 pm on October 12 as a mark of protest.  The SKM also said that the day will be observed as 'Shaheed Kisan Diwas' (Martyred Farmers' Day) in honour of the farmers who were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri following violence that broke out last week. The farmers were among the eight total persons killed in the incident.

On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Police took MoS Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish to the Crime Branch office in Lakhimpur Kheri for interrogation. Chief Judicial Magistrate Chintaram on Monday had granted three-day police remand, with the condition that Ashish Mishra would not be harassed and his lawyer would remain present during interrogation.