Akhilesh Yadav detained in Lucknow after sit-in protest over 8 deaths in UP

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has been detained by the police from outside his residence in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow where he staged a sit-in after being stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri district, where eight including four farmers were killed in violence on Sunday.

"Even the British did not commit such atrocities as much as the BJP government is doing on the farmers. The Minister of State for Home and the Deputy Chief Minister should resign. ₹ 2 crore should be given to the farmers who have lost their lives. Their families should be given government jobs," Mr Yadav said.

Security was heightened outside his Vikramaditya Marg home and police trucks were placed to block the road and restrict any movement, following which he sat on protest with party leaders Ram Gopal Yadav, Anand Bhadauria and others. Hundreds of party workers also gathered outside the house, and a heavy police force was deployed in the area.

"The government does not want any political leaders to go there. What is the government hiding?"

In an escalating confrontation with the Yogi Adityanath government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had a face-off with police personnel early this morning after was stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri. She was was detained late last night on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the farmers who were killed.

Several opposition leaders from various parties were scheduled to visit the district today.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister SS Randhawa were not allowed to land in Lucknow, Congress sources said.

The violence erupted on Sunday as a group of protesting farmers tried to block Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya from visiting the area.

The farmers claimed the violence broke out after their car ran over protesters. Visuals from the area showed arson and vehicles set on fire.