Deceased farmer’s family refuse to cremate him; Rahul allowed to visit Lakhimpur Kheri

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Eight people, including four farmers, have died in the violence in Tikunia village of Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district.

After an agreement between the farmers and the administration, the three families agreed for the cremation after the postmortem, while the family of one deceased farmer has refused to perform the last rites.

According to the farmer leaders, the last rites of three farmers was performed as wish of their families and with full customs. While one family, demanding the re-postmortem, has refused to perform the cremation.

Gurvinder Singh, son of Sukhwinder Singh, resident of Makronia village of Nanpara, died in the violence.

The farmers allege that the 19-year old Gurvinder was shot dead, which was not mentioned in the postmortem. For this reason, the family members have demanded a re-postmortem.

The Sankyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) issued a statement saying, "we upheld our earlier statement that one of the protesters was shot dead by the team of the minister's son."

"Sukhwinder was shot dead. However, this was not confirmed in the first postmortem. His postmortem will be performed again by a team of doctors from AIIMS, BHU, PGI and a senior forensic doctor in presence of SKM representatives in Bahraich," Rajveer Singh Jadaun, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union told reporters.

A case has been registered against the minister's son.

Meanwhile, after haggling for over an hour over the mode of transport, senior UP officials finally allowed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to leave the Lucknow airport.

A huge crowd had gathered at the airport to welcome the Congress leader who was accompanied by Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel and Charanjit Singh Channi, respectively.

Less than an hour after the Uttar Pradesh government said Gandhi would be allowed to visit Lakhimpur Kheri - where violence at a farmers' protest on Sunday had left at nie dead, security personnel stopped him at the Lucknow airport.

An angry Rahul, who was accompanied by Baghel, and Channi, sat on a 'dharna' at the airport.

"Show this scene... they (the UP government) said that we are free to go and now they are stopping us. What kind of permission is this? This is Uttar Pradesh government's permission," he told the media.

Asked whether he was on a dharna now, Gandhi said: "'Kya karun? I will sit here'."

Earlier, police officials told the Congress leader that he would be taken in their vehicles but he declined, saying that he would use his own vehicle.

Meanwhile, the two Chief Ministers have announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50 lakhs each to the families of those killed in Sunday's violence at Lakhimpur.