Six killed in clashes during Indian farmers' protest

Lucknow - Farmers alleged a car owned by the son of Ajay Mishra, junior home minister, ran over two farmers.

Six people were killed when violence broke out in India’s Uttar Pradesh state on Sunday after a car linked to a federal minister ran over two farmers taking part in a protest against controversial farm laws.

Farmers alleged the car was owned by the son of Ajay Mishra, who serves as India’s junior home minister. The two farmers who were hit were killed, they said.

Mishra said his son was not present at the incident, but that a car driven by “our driver” had lost control and hit the farmers after “miscreants” pelted stones at the car and attacked it with sticks and sword.

“If my son would’ve been there, he wouldn’t have come out alive,” he said.

In subsequent clashes, three members of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, a driver and two other farmers were killed, according to party and police officials. The violence broke out in the Lakhimpur Kheri district, about 130km north of the state’s capital Lucknow.

The protests have gained momentum in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the state assembly election next year, with a group of influential farmer leaders ratchet up pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to roll back the laws.