Lakhimpur Kheri: Mumbai Police to deploy maximum personnel on Monday as Sena, NCP, Congress call Maharashtra bandh

Mumbai: Mumbai Police will deploy the maximum manpower at their disposal on the streets on Monday to prevent any untoward incident during the Maharashtra bandh called by the three ruling parties to protest the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, a police official said on Sunday.

The shutdown has been called by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies- the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

The shutdown has been called by the ruling allies - Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

The police official said patrolling will be intensified.

“Three companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), 500 Home Guard personnel and 400 men from the Local Arms units are already deployed as additional manpower for the ongoing Navratri festival security. But, keeping the bandh in mind, Mumbai Police will use the maximum manpower to tackle any situation. Police bandobast will be (stepped up) on streets on Monday,” the official said.

Meanwhile, NCP spokesman and state minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday that the state-wide bandh will commence from 12 midnight. The workers of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are meeting citizens with an appeal to participate in the bandh wholeheartedly and express their solidarity with farmers, he said.

“The BJP-led central government has allowed the loot of agriculture produce through the three newly-enacted farm laws and now the kin of its minister is killing farmers. We have to show solidarity with the cultivators,” he said.

The MVA demands that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misha be sacked, the NCP leader added.

“It was only after the Supreme Court’s intervention that the minister’s son was arrested,” he said.

The Union minister’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday night by the police in Lakhimpur Kheri in connection with the October 3 violence there. He was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the workers and leaders of his party would observe “maun vrat” (vow of silence) outside the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai to register their protest.

“We appeal to all Congress workers and people to participate in the bandh and ensure its success,” he said.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said his party will participate with full force in the 11 October bandh in Maharashtra. He said it was necessary to wake people up against the “anti-farmer” policies of the Central government.

Eight people, including four farmers, died in Lakhimpur Kheri on 3 October.

The farmers died after being knocked down by vehicles reportedly carrying BJP workers, after which an angry mob allegedly lynched some people in these vehicles.

On Saturday night, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested by the police in Lakhimpur Kheri in connection with the 3 October violence.