Punjab CM Charanjit Channi to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday said that he would visit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, where 8 people, including 4 farmers, died yesterday.

"Expressing solidarity with bereaved families of farmers, I am leaving for Lakhimpur Kheri to be with my brothers and sisters in this hour of grief. I have also sought permission from the UP government to allow landing and taking off of chopper at the site," Channi tweeted.

The Punjab government wrote to the Uttar Pradesh government seeking permission for landing and taking off of the Chief Minister's chopper.

"As you are aware that due to the situation arising out of the incident and deaths of peacefully protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister wants to visit the concerned families to be with them in this hour of grief," the Punjab government's Civil Aviation director said in the letter to UP Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi.

"It is requested that permission may kindly be granted for landing and taking off chopper of the chief minister. It is, also requested that adequate arrangements may also be made so that the chief minister may meet with the concerned families," it said.

However, the Uttar Pradesh government, earlier in the day, had written to the Punjab chief secretary, urging not to let anyone from the state go to Lakhimpur Kheri where Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed following the death of 8 people.

Several Opposition leaders from various parties including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa are scheduled to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today.

The Uttar Pradesh government has also urged Lucknow airport not to allow Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder S Randhawa to land at the airport ahead of their scheduled visit to Lakhimpur Kheri today.

As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, said police.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur Kheri Arun Kumar Singh confirmed eight deaths including four farmers and four occupants of the vehicles that allegedly ran over the farmers.

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.