Ashish Misra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Teni Misra, on Monday, 4 October, denied any role in the alleged murder of farmers at Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri.
At least eight people, including farmers, died on Sunday after clashes erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, where demonstrations against the Union government's three farm laws were underway. The farmers died after being allegedly run over by the car of Ashish Misra, who has been booked for murder.
Speaking to NDTV, Ashish Misra said that a convoy of vehicles had been sent to Lakhimpur to receive guests for a programme being held on Sunday. He added that while his car, a Mahindra Thar, had been sent for this purpose, he himself was not part of the convoy.
Misra stated that he had remained at his paternal home in Banwirpur village where a wrestling match had been organised. "I was not in the car," he emphasised.
The politician's son further told NDTV that the convoy had been attacked, and that a vehicle that overturned during the tumult could have injured the farmers.
"It's not correct that the Fortuner mowed down farmers. The truth is that our workers went to receive the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister. The Thar SUV that was in the front was attacked with sticks and stones. The driver Hari Om was injured or may have died in that attack. The car lost its balance and overturned. That's how these two people who are being called farmers must have been injured," he said in the interview.
Meanwhile, protests gripped the nation on Monday, with many taking to the streets against the alleged murder of the agitating farmers in Lakhimpur.
A number of Opposition parties, including the Congress and the AAP, have called for a judicial probe into the incident, and have demanded the resignation of Union Minister Ajay Teni Misra.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)