Life at standstill around Lakhimpur Kheri amid heavy police deployment

Heavy police deployment and barricading around Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district has brought life to a standstill as people including the locals are not being allowed to visit the area where violence on Sunday claimed at least eight lives.

Police personnel have been deployed around the adjoining villages including Palia, Puranpur, Bhira, Bijua and Khajuria among others. Also vehicles are being stopped at least 60-70 km away from the violence site, which is nearly 40-45 km from the Dudhwa National Park.

Services of tour and travel buses have also came to a halt in the area -- which is located near to the Nepal border.

According to an information, cops are instructed to calmly handle the situation and not to use force against farmers.

Apart from heavy police deployment, hundreds of farmers with their tractors have assembled around the area since early morning, resulting to traffic blockade and traffic congestion in the region.

People are only being allowed to travel on foot to reach to their destinations.

On Sunday, protests on farm laws in the district took a violent turn after some unidentified persons allegedly opened fire at the farmers.

Infuriated farmers set three jeeps on fire after some of the protestors were run over by the vehicles. One of the vehicles is said to have belonged to Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home, Ajay Mishra Teni.

The death toll in Sunday's violence has gone up to eight and the BJP claimed that the deceased included one driver and three BJP workers.

Several opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi were stopped from proceeding towards Lakhimpur Kheri after the incident.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said in a statement issued late on Sunday night that he was 'saddened' by the violence in his state that left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

He promised strict action against those responsible following an investigation and made an appeal to maintain peace.