Uttar Pradesh Police cancels staff leaves in view of protesting farmers' Oct 18 display

As protesting farmers announced their decision to hold the 'rail roko' demonstration on October 18, the Uttar Pradesh Police cancelled all types of leaves of the staff till the protest and upcoming festivals get over. The Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar on Sunday passed an order stating leave from headquarters will only be allowed for emergency conditions. The protesting farmers have called for a 'rail roko' demonstration on October 18 to raise their voice against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and reject the Uttar Pradesh government's judicial probe into the matter. 

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar's order statement:

"In view of upcoming festivals and proposed programmes of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Uttar Pradesh Police cancels all types of leaves of the staff till October 18. Leave from Headquarters will be allowed during this period only for unavoidable reasons. This order with immediate effect will be effective," the order reads.

Farmers' protests against Lakhimpur violence

The decision of October 18 protest was taken at the umbrella organisation- Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) general body at a meeting in Singhu border on Friday where they said that if the demand of Ashish Mishra's arrest along with the removal of his father Ajay Mishra as Union Minister is not met with then nationwide rail roko demonstration will be staged. Another important announcement made after the meeting included declaring October 12 as “antim ardaas” day as the last rites will be conducted on that day. Additionally, the farm union have decided to burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the upcoming festival of Dussehra.

Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra arrested

It has to be seen how the farmers' protest scheduled on October 18 goes as one of their demands - Ashish Mishra's arrest has been fulfilled. The Union Minister's son was first remanded to judicial custody, and hours later the questioning he was placed under COVID quarantine in district jail, informed officials. Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down the farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to Lakhimpur last Sunday, October 3. 

(With ANI inputs)