In a recent development, a murder case has been slapped against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son for allegedly running a car over farmers who were protesting in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri.

According to ANI, several other people have also been named in the First Information Report (FIR). Four farmers were among eight people killed in the incident.

The farmers were holding a protest against the visit of ministers to the Uttar Pradesh district.

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However, the Union minister has denied that his son, Ashish Mishra, was linked to the violence.

“My son wasn’t present at the spot. There were miscreants who attacked workers with sticks and swords. Had my son been there, he wouldn’t have come out alive,” Mr Mishra, the junior Home Minister, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “My son was present at the venue of the (Deputy Chief Minister’s) event… all through, I was accompanying the deputy chief minister,” he said.

The incident happened after angry protesters allegedly forced the two vehicles to stop and set them on fire.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted a story link related to the incident, and said that the party will not let the sacrifice of the farmers “go in vain.”