News Analysis India

Tag: Lakhimpur Kheri incident

  • ‘Enough of Ganga dubkis’: Mahua Moitra joins Opposition chorus demanding removal of Ajay Mishra

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Joining other Opposition leaders, now TMC MP Mahua Moitra has demanded the resignation of MoS Ajay Mishra after a finding of Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident was leaked on Tuesday.  

    Mahua Moitra said the reality has been exposed as the SIT’s finding show that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a ‘planned one’.

    Mahua Moitra in her tweet wrote, “Lakhmipur Kheri SIT says incident was pre-planned, not an accident. Says Ashish Mishra should be tried for attempt to murder.”

    The TMC MP said that the main accused, MoS Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish, should be tried for attempt to murder.

    Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last para of the same tweet, Moitra said  “Enough of Ganga dubkkis. Get justice back on track, fire Ajay Mishra & see this end”.

    ​ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Rahul Gandhi demands minister be removed from post and PM apologise

    Ashish Mishra is one the accused in the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident in which four farmers were allegedly mowed down while they were protesting against the three farm laws.

    Sources said that the SIT formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate into the incident, has reportedly stated that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a ‘planned conspiracy’ to crush the farmers on protest against the farm laws on October 3. 

    The political parties in opposition after the leaked finding of SIT have stepped up their attacks on the BJP-led Central government and are also demanding the immediate removal of MoS Ajay Mishra.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Priyanka says SC’s observation makes it clear independent probe needed

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said it is clear from the Supreme Court’s observation in the Lakhimpur Kheri case that an independent investigation is necessary for justice, and alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government is standing with those who “trampled upon” farmers.

    The Supreme Court made it clear that the Uttar Pradesh government’s actions in the “Lakhimpur Kheri massacre case” are aimed at protecting the criminals, Priyanka Gandhi said in a video posted on Twitter.

    “Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Chief Minister, who are you trying to protect? The father of the person who is the main accused shares a stage with you and is going to programmes with you. The Supreme Court is saying that appropriate action is not being taken, and is aimed at protecting criminals. What kind of a message are you giving to the country?” the Congress general secretary said.

    Her remarks came after the Supreme Court suggested that a former high court judge monitor the ongoing probe by the Uttar Pradesh Police into the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence during a farmers’ protest.

    In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said, “In the Lakhimpur massacre case, it is clear that the Uttar Pradesh government is standing with those who trampled upon the farmers. The father of the person who is the main accused in trampling upon the farmers (Minister of State for Home) has the protection of @narendramodi ji. It is clear from the observation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court that there should be an independent inquiry for justice (to be achieved),” the Congress general secretary said.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana has sought the response of the Uttar Pradesh government in the matter, represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Garima Prasad, by Friday.

    The bench said the investigation was “not going the way we expected”.

    The bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, suggested the names of former judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, justices Rakesh Kumar Jain or Ranjit Singh, for overseeing the probe till filing of the charge sheets in the cases.

    It also took note of the delay in procuring the forensic reports regarding the video evidence.

    The police have so far arrested 13 accused, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, in connection with the case.

    Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre’s three farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

    Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.

    Farmer leaders have claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the cars that allegedly knocked down the protesters but the minister has denied the allegations.

  • Lakhimpur violence: Only 4 out of 44 witnesses have been recorded, SC asks UP govt to take all statements

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: “We think you are dragging your feet. You please dispel this,” the Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Uttar Pradesh government while hearing the Lakhimpur Kheri matter, and asked it to record statements of remaining witnesses in the case before a judicial magistrate.

    The apex court, which was hearing a matter pertaining to the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight persons including four farmers were killed during a farmers’ protest, was told by the state government that statements of four out of the 44 witnesses have been recorded by the judicial magistrate.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana perused the status report filed by the state government in the matter in a sealed cover.

    The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, was told by the state that the process of recording of statements of witnesses before judicial magistrate is going on.

    The top court has posted the matter for hearing on October 26.

    Ten people, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, have been arrested so far in connection with the case.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: ‘Rail roko’ affects 150 locations in Northern Railway zone, 60 trains affected

    The top court is hearing the matter after two lawyers had written a letter to the CJI seeking a high-level judicial inquiry, also involving the CBI, into the incident.

    Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre’s three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

    Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.

    Several farmer organisations are protesting against the passage of three laws — The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 since last November.

    The apex court had stayed the implementation of these laws in January.

    Initially, the protests started from Punjab in November last year and later spread to Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri case: SIT takes Union minister’s son, others to recreate sequence of events 

    By PTI

    LAKHIMPUR KHERI: The SIT probing the Lakhimpur violence on Thursday took Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son and three others arrested in the case to recreate the sequence of events leading to the incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Tikonia village.

    Amid tight security, the three accused were taken to the site of the incident on the Tikonia-Banbirpur road, around 60 km from district headquarters Lakhimpur city, police said.

    Eight people died in the October 3 violence and of them, four were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Infuriated farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.

    In the incident, a journalist was also killed.

    Farmers claimed that Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time.

    Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’ was arrested in the case on October 9 after 12 hours of questioning, and a court has accepted his police custody from October 12 to October 15.

    The other three — Shekhar Bharti was arrested on October 12, and Ankit Das and Latif alias Kale were arrested on October 13.

    Das, Latif and Bharti are in police custody from October 14 to October 17.

    On Thursday, investigators reached the district jail premises in the morning to take Das, Latif and Bharti into police custody.

    The trio were taken to the crime branch’s office at the Reserve Police Lines, which is near the district jail where main accused Ashish Mishra is lodged.

    They were taken to Tikonia village by the special investigation team (SIT) amid heavy security for further investigations, police said.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri case: Ashish Mishra denied bail, one more sent to police custody 

    By PTI

    LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was denied bail by a court here on Wednesday in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

    Senior prosecution officer (SPO) SP Yadav told PTI that Chief Judicial Magistrate Chinta Ram rejected the bail applications of Ashish Mishra and his alleged accomplice Ashish Pandey.

    Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on October 9 by the special investigation team after 12 hours of questioning, had been sent to three days in police custody from Tuesday.

    The court also remanded Shekhar Bharti, arrested on Tuesday, in police custody for three days.

    Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case — Ashish Mishra, Luvkush, Ashish Pandey and Bharti.

    One Ankit Das, who is said to be a close friend of Ashish Mishra, appeared before the SIT at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur earlier in the day.

    The investigators had summoned Das for questioning in connection with the October 3 violence that had left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

    Das is the nephew of former minister Akhilesh Das and the black SUV which allegedly knocked down the four farmers is said to be owned by him.

    At around 11 AM, Das along with a team of lawyers arrived at the crime branch office in the reserved police lines area, the police said.

    On Tuesday, Das and one other identified as Latif had moved an application for surrender before the chief judicial magistrate.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Ashish Mishra’s friend Ankit Das appears before SIT 

    By PTI

    LAKHIMPUR KHERI (UP): Ankit Das, said to be a close friend of Tikonia violence accused Ashish Mishra, turned up before the special investigation team (SIT) at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur on Wednesday, police said.

    The investigators had summoned Das for questioning in connection with the October 3 violence which had left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

    At around 11 am, Das alongwith a team of lawyers arrived at the reserved police lines in Lakhimpur and reached the crime branch office located there, police said.

    On Tuesday, Das and one other identified as Latif had moved an application for surrender at the court of the chief judicial magistrate.

    Das is the nephew of former minister late Akhilesh Das.

    The SUV which was behind the car that knocked down the four farmers is said to be owned by him.

    Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case.

    While one person, Shekhar Bharti was arrested on Tuesday, minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, Luvkush and Ashish Pandey were arrested earlier.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri: Farmer allege incident ‘pre-planned conspiracy’, say will burn PM Modi’s effigy on Dussehra

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Farmer leaders on Saturday demanded that Union Minister Ajay Mishra and his son be arrested in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, and said the incident was a “pre-planned conspiracy”.

    Ajay Mishra should also be removed from the government as he started this conspiracy and is also protecting the culprits in the case, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Yogendra Yadav alleged during a press conference here.

    He also said that the SKM on October 15, which is Dusshera, will burn the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to protest against the violence.

    In the incident on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, eight people were killed, including four farmers.

    लखीमपुर खीरी में हुई हृदय-विदारक घटना पर आज दिल्ली के प्रेस क्लब में दोपहर 1 बजे संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा की समन्वय समिति की प्रेस कांफ्रेंस।@_YogendraYadav @RakeshTikaitBKU समेत एसकेएम के कई नेता लखीमपुर खीरी हत्याकांड व इसके विरोध में आगामी राष्ट्रीय कार्यक्रम की घोषणा करेंगे। pic.twitter.com/oVh1xC5W6q
    — Jai Kisan Andolan (@_JaiKisan) October 9, 2021
    The incident was part of a pre-planned conspiracy and the attackers tried to terrorise farmers, farmer leader Darshan Pal said at the press conference of the SKM, an umbrella body of farm unions, spearheading the stir against three agri laws.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri incident: MoS Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish arrives at Crime Branch office

    He also claimed that the government has adopted a violent approach against protesting farmers.

    But “we won’t take the path of violence”, Ugrahan asserted.

    Four of the eight people who died in the violence on Sunday were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers.

    Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.

    The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.

    Farmers claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time.

    “We demand Union Minister Ajay Mishra and his son Ashish be arrested,” Ugrahan said.

    The SKM also said that on October 18 it will call ‘rail roko’ to protest the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

  • ‘Lakhimpur violence a plot’: Farmers say will burn PM Modi’s effigy on Dussehra

    By Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Demanding dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra and arrest of his son Ashish Mishra the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday decided to burn the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and local leaders on Dusshera. The SKM also announced a nationwide rail blockade on October 18 and farmers’ mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.

    The SKM, umbrella organisation of farmers union in its general body meeting at the Singhu border has raised doubt over the investigations carried out by the Uttar Pradesh Police Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed. SKM leaders Balbir Singh Rajewa, Yogendra Yadav and Rakesh Tikait said that Ajay Mishra should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested on charges of spreading disharmony, and murder, and conspiracy. While his son Ashish Mishra (Monu) and his associates (in whom the names of Sumit Jaiswal and Ankit Das have surfaced) who have been accused of murder, should be immediately arrested.

    Rajewal , Tikait and Yadav announced that on October 12 ‘antim ardaas’ (Bhog ceremony) will be held in Lakhimpur Kheri  and asked all supporters to either come to Lakhimpur Kheri for the `antim ardas’ or remember those who had died at their local gurudwara, temple, mosque, church, or protest site. If this is not possible, people can light five candles in memory of those killed in “Lakhimpur Kheri on October 12 four farmers and a journalist, ‘’said Yadav.

    They added that if the demands are not accepted by October 11, then the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will launch a nationwide protest program. After the Antim Ardas, Shaheed Kisan Yatra will be taken out from Lakhimpur Kheri by taking the ‘asthi’ of martyr farmers. This yatra will be started by carrying separate asthi kalash for each district of Uttar Pradesh and each state of the country. The yatra will conclude at a holy or historical place in every district and state.

    लखीमपुर खीरी में हुई हृदय-विदारक घटना पर आज दिल्ली के प्रेस क्लब में दोपहर 1 बजे संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा की समन्वय समिति की प्रेस कांफ्रेंस।@_YogendraYadav @RakeshTikaitBKU समेत एसकेएम के कई नेता लखीमपुर खीरी हत्याकांड व इसके विरोध में आगामी राष्ट्रीय कार्यक्रम की घोषणा करेंगे। pic.twitter.com/oVh1xC5W6q
    — Jai Kisan Andolan (@_JaiKisan) October 9, 2021
    “On Dusshera the farm union will burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath besides other local leaders. Some of the members wanted to burn the effigy of Manohar Lal Khattar, some of Yogi Adityanath, so we decided that the third effigy could be of any local villain,’’ Yadav said.

    The farmers leaders added that also on October 18 a nationwide `rail roko’ protest from 10 AM to 4 PM and a farmers’ mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri incident: MoS Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish arrives at Crime Branch office

    The farmer leaders said that they have rejected the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and judicial inquiry set up by the UP Government, noting that the Supreme Court had also said it was not satisfied.

    Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan who head BKU (Ugrahan) the largest farm union of Punjab) said that the central government has adopted violent approach against protesting farmers but the farmers would not take path of violence.

    Tikait also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his `silence’ on the incident.

    “The Lakhimpur Kheri massacre will be remembered as a painful chapter in the history of the farm movement of India. This incident has completely exposed the character of the Union Government, the Uttar Pradesh Government and  Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power at both places. BJP is not ready to take any step against its leaders and  others even after there is clear evidence of such a big murder and involvement of BJP leaders in it. It is clear that the BJP has now turned to violence after losing ground in the face of this historic farm movement,’’ they said.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri incident: MoS Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish arrives at Crime Branch office

    By ANI

    LUCKNOW: Ashish Mishra, son of MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni arrived at the Crime Branch office, Lakhimpur on Saturday in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 in which eight people including four farmers were killed.

    He was earlier summoned by the Uttar Pradesh police in connection with the probe in the matter. Earlier, on Friday, Ajay Mishra Teni had said that his son was unable to report to police due to health reasons. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested two accused in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The arrested persons have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey.

    As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on October 3, said Uttar Pradesh police. The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday filed an FIR for murder against Ashish Mishra.

    Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.

    However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM’s allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri incident: SAD delegation demands sacking of Ajay Mishra

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday demanded Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra be sacked and the accused immediately arrested for ensuring justice to farmers’ families in the Lakhimpur violence case.

    “We demanded immediate dismissal of the minister and arrest of the accused for giving justice to the families of farmers, who died in Lakhimpur,” SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur told reporters here outside Chaudhury Charan Singh Airport.

    A delegation of the party landed here to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to meet families of farmers, who had died in the violence on October 3.

    “We are going to share the grief and will help them in whatever way we can,” she said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Fascism’, ‘Jallianwala Bagh’, ‘Hitler’: Lakhimpur Kheri farmers’ killing leads to strong reactions by Opposition leaders

    On BJP’s allegation that the opposition was going to Lakhimpur for “photo opportunity”, the former Union minister said, “I resigned from the Central cabinet for raising the voice of farmers. They can also call this a photo opportunity.”

    Kaur said measures should be taken to check such violence while demanding the arrest of the accused.

    On October 3, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri with four of them being farmers, who were allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area.

    The other four were two BJP workers, a driver of MoS Mishra and a journalist working for a private television channel.