Lakhimpur Kheri deaths: ‘We were marching peacefully when three SUVs came from behind, drove over us’

A video clip of the incident shows a group of protesters moving forward on a road next to farm fields and then being mowed down by a grey SUV that speeds up from behind.

“I am in the video clip, though you can only see me after I fall. It was total chaos. We were marching peacefully when three SUVs suddenly came from behind and drove over us. I can be seen in the video clip, wearing a light blue shirt,” said Shamsher Singh, 28, who is from Nighasan area of Lakhimpur Kheri and owns about three acres of land.

“I collapsed after being hit by the bonnet of the first car. I woke up at the hospital. I could have been killed, like the four others. I saw the minister’s son driving,” said Shamsher, who suffered a fracture in his right leg. “I also suffered head injuries,” he said.

“We were all returning home because we had been told that the Deputy CM’s helicopter would not land at the Maharaja Agrasen Inter College ground on Sunday, and that he was coming by road,” said Shamsher.

The second injured protester is Baljinder Singh, 28, also from Nighasan area of Lakhimpur Kheri. A photograph of Baljinder, being carried by two other farmers, was widely circulated on social media after the incident on Sunday. Shown the video, Baljinder said: “Yes, this is exactly how it happened.” Besides injuries on his arm and head, he also suffered some broken teeth.

“I was hit by the car bumper and was dragged. My whole arm is injured. I could only come here today, as there was no vehicle available yesterday due to the restrictions. I was helped by some farmers, who saved my life by carrying me to a safe spot, from where I could be rescued,” said Baljinder, who has two sons, Mankirat (4) and Himmat (1), and does share cropping on two acres of land with his brothers.

“We were not expecting something like this. Sapne mein nahi socha tha aisa ho sakta hai (Didn’t dream something like this could happen),” said Baljinder. “All my clothes were torn. As you can see from the photograph, my turban also came off after I was dragged by the vehicle,” he said.

Dr C S Singh, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) at district hospital, said: “Three people were brought here on Sunday; one of them was referred to another hospital that day itself. One had suffered head injuries, while another had an injured hand. All are stable or have been discharged.”