Two sugar mills in Lakhimpur Kheri have cancelled their invite to Ajay Mishra to flag off the cane-crushing season after farm leader Rakesh Tikait said farmers would boycott the mills if the Union minister turned up.

A Thar jeep owned by Mishra, the junior home minister, had run over and killed four farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on October 3. Mishra’s son Ashis is in custody over allegations that he was in the vehicle at the time of the massacre.

Kisan Sahkari Chini Mills Ltd at Sampurna Nagar said in a statement on Tuesday: “The sugarcane crushing session of (the unit) will start on November 24 (Wednesday) by district magistrate Mahendra Bahadur Singh at 11am.” (Sic)

A similar statement was issued by Sarju Sahkari Chini Mill Ltd at Belrayan Kheri.

Sources close to Mishra said he had some other engagements and would not be able to attend the events at the two mills on Wednesday.