NEW DELHI, Oct 5 (Asia Free Press): The Chief Minister of Chattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel lodged a ‘sit-in protest’ outside the Lucknow airport after being stopped by the state police as the widespread demonstrations continue on the third day against the death of eight people on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur district, about 130 km away, ANI reported.
“I came to Lucknow to meet Priyanka Gandhi Ji at Sitapur. But I am not being allowed to leave the airport”, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said as reported by NDTV.
Mr. Baghel has said that he was to meet Priyanka Gandhi, who is in police custody since Monday morning in Sitapur, where she was ‘illegally’ detained for an indefinite period when she was on her way to condole the families of those who lost their lives in the violent incident at Lakhimpur.
In a tweet, shared on his Twitter handle he said, “Without any order, I am being stopped outside the Lucknow airport”.
He had also shared a minute-long video of his conversation in which he questions the officials as to why he has been stopped, he can be heard saying, “Dhara 144 to Lakhimpur me hai. Hum Lakhimpur to jaa nahi rahe hain. Problem kya hai? (Prohibitory orders are in Lakhimpur, but we are not going there. So what’s the problem?)”.
Earlier, on Sunday a violent incident took place in UP’s Lakhimpur area against UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya’s visit when eight people including four farmers were killed as a car allegedly driven by Ashish Mishra Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son ran over them.
Indian Express reported the local Additional Director General (ADG) law as saying, on Monday (October 4) morning two FIRs have been registered on the violence at Tikonia police station against the Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish, and 13 others on charges including murder and rioting.