Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Police take Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav into custody

Police have taken Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav into custody outside his residence in Lucknow where he staged a sit-in protest after being stopped from going to Lakhimpur Kheri, news agency ANI tweeted.

At least 8 people including farmers and a local journalist were killed during a farmers' protest over the three farm laws on Sunday.

The Samajwadi Party president has staged a sit-in protest outside his residence after police stopped him from going to Lakhimpur Kheri.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also demanded ₹2 crores as ex-gratia and government jobs for the next of kin of the farmers who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Speaking to the media person while protesting outside his residence in Lucknow, Yadav said: "Even Britishers would not have committed the kind of atrocities this government is committing against farmers. MoS Home Ajay Mishra and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya should resign."

" ₹2 crores and government jobs should be given to next of kin of the farmers who lost their lives in the incident," he said.

Earlier, Yadav demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation over the incident.

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 also scheduled to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today.