The Uttar Pradesh government faced tough questions from the Supreme Court on the killing of farmers at a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri and was told sternly to "dispel the feeling that you are dragging your feet".
Ordering the UP government to protect and record the statement of all witnesses, the Supreme Court said "this should not be an unending story".
The Supreme Court had asked the state government for a status report on who all have been arrested and for what crime.
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.
The Supreme Court heared the matter after two lawyers had written a letter to the Chief Justice of India seeking a high-level judicial inquiry, also involving the CBI, into the incident.
