Section 144 imposed in Lucknow in view of farmers’ rail roko protest

Prohibitory orders restricting large public gathering were imposed in Lucknow in the view of the ‘rail roko’ protest called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body comprising of several farmers unions. The SKM is demanding the resignation and arrest of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra in connection to the Lakhimpur Kheri deaths.

In an order, the Lucknow Police Commissioner said that strict action would be taken against anyone indulging in anti-national activity. Cops were stationed outside houses of farmer union leaders in Lucknow.

Lucknow Police said that it would invoke the National Security Act (NSA) if anyone tried to disrupt normalcy and peace.

"To press for its demand for MoS Home Ajay Misra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has announced a nation-wide Rail Roko program...the SKM asks for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property,” SKM said in a statement.

The outfit said that all train traffic will be stopped for six hours from 10 am to 4 pm on Monday.

Eight people were killed in the October 3 violence that erupted during farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri. Farmers’ unions have claimed the Union Minister for State Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra to have run over a group of farmers.

Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9, however, in his statement he has said that when the incident had transpired, he was not present in the car.