Union minister's son Ashish Mishra - accused of murder in the farmer deaths at Lakhimpur Kheri - has been summoned for questioning, the UP police said. Two people who were at the location of the incident have been arrested, the police said.
This is the first time the police has asked to question Ashish Mishra -- the son of junior home minister Ajay Mishra. An FIR against him was filed on Monday. The police pasted a notice outside the Union Minister's home, summoning his son for questioning at 10 am on Friday. The inaction so far had set off opposition allegations that the police are shielding the high-profile accused.
The two men who have been arrested have been identified as Luv Kush and Ashish Pandey. The two were in the same vehicle that ran over a journalist and farmers, the police said. Two gun cartridges have been recovered from them. An eight-member UP Police team will investigate the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition regarding the events at Lakhimpur Kheri, on Thursday questioned "how many people have been arrested" and asked the state government to submit a status report by tomorrow.
Here are Highlights on UP Violence In Lakhimpur Kheri:
Navjot Singh Sidhu has started a hunger strike, demanding that Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra be taken into police custody.
Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son, Ashish, accused of running over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, skipped police questioning this morning amid rising outrage over inaction in the case. Summons were pasted outside the minister's home.
Assuring that people involved in Lakhimpur Kheri violence will be punished, UP law minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday said the matter is sub judice and the opposition parties should not politicize the incident.
Speaking to ANI, Mr Pathak said, "The UP government is conducting an independent investigation and the people involved in the violence will be punished."
He also said, "The violence in Lakhimpur Kheri is condemnable and the opposition parties should not take mileage by conducting ''political tourism''.
The SAD delegation has been forcefully stopped by @Uppolice on the way to #LakhimpurKheri . @UPGovt did nothing substantial for the families of victims & now preventing us against the democratic values. Their repressive stand can never restrict us from reaching out to them. pic.twitter.com/2A6BvJuFx8
- Shiromani Akali Dal (@Akali_Dal_) October 8, 2021
Order On Lakhimpur Kheri
- Status report filed by Uttar Pradesh government
- We are not satisfied with the action taken by Uttar Pradesh government so far
- UP government counsel assures that he will tell the court about which alternative agency which can conduct the probe
- List the matter immediately after Dussehra vacation
- The UP government counsel will convey to UP police chief to protect all evidence in the case
Harish Salve for UP govt : Hear the matter after court reopens. If there is not enough process by then ...then transfer to CBI.
CJI: Mr Salve we have respect for you. We hope the state willvtake necessary steps. Due to sensitivity of the issue we are not making comments. CBI can also not be given the matter for reasons you understand...because of the persons involved. We will take up the issue after courts reopen (post Dussehra). The authorities must act
Justice Surya Kant: Act in a way that inspires trust
Harish Salve for UP govt: I agree that enough has not been done
CJI: We hope that action takes place. They should not forget the evidence that is available. Protect the witnesses in the case.
Harish Salve for UP Govt: Postmortem did not show any bullet wounds. The manner in which the car was driven the allegations are true. It is possibly 302.
Justice Hima Kohli: Possibly?
Harish Salve: I said possibly because I don't want the accused to say tom that I made up my mind even before he appeared. evidence is strong. If evidence is true then its section 302.
CJI: We expect responsible govt and police. The allegations are very serious including gunshot injuries. Section 302(section of murder). Will accused not be treated the same way?
SC had told UP govt to submit a status report by today and give details of who has been arrested and give details of the eight who were killed on Sunday.
Political strategist Prashant Kishor signaled a fallout with the Congress in a tweet this morning as he linked the recent protests over eight deaths in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur to the hopes of "revival of the GOP (Grand Old Party)-led opposition".
People looking for a quick, spontaneous revival of GOP led opposition based on #LakhimpurKheri incident are setting themselves up for a big disappoinment.
- Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) October 8, 2021
Unfortunately there are no quick fix solutions to the deep-rooted problems and structural weakness of GOP.
Lakhimpur Kheri Horror
- Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) October 8, 2021
Modi ji
Why are you silent ?
We need just one word of sympathy from you
That should not be difficult !
Had you been in opposition how would you have reacted ?
Please tell us
Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son, Ashish, who has been accused of murder in the eight deaths in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, kept a senior cop waiting this morning as he skipped police questioning despite nationwide outrage over the case. This was the first time that Ashish Mishra was summoned for questioning amid calls for his arrest by opposition leaders - the violence that erupted in Lakhimpur on Sunday has turned into a major political issue ahead of the state elections next year.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday demanded that MoS Ajay Mishra Teni should be dismissed from his post in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 in which eight people including four farmers were killed.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who arrived in Lucknow with a delegation, ahead of her Lakhimpur Kheri visit said, "We demand that Monu Mishra should be arrested immediately and the minister should be dismissed."
"Families of innocents who lost their lives should be compensated properly including a government job," she further said.
The SAD leader also attacked the government over the three farm laws and said, "Govt hasn't been listening to farmers and now farmers have been killed... We stand with the farmers."
Union Minister of State for Home Kumar Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, who was asked to appear before the police at 10 am on Friday in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, did not reach the police lines till 10.30 am. Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal who is heading the probe team arrived at the office on time. "Ashish Mishra has not turned up till now," an official source said around 10.30 am. After two men were arrested on Thursday, the police pasted a notice outside his house asking him to appear before it in connection with the violence that claimed eight lives.
"Not Attended A Meet In 5 Years," Says Varun Gandhi, Dropped From Top BJP BodyBJP MP Varun Gandhi -- who had made headlines with his sharply critical tweets about the death of farmers in UP's Lakhimpur Khiri -- on Thursday brushed off his exclusion from the BJP's 80-member national executive.
Ashish Mishra has been summoned for questioningat 10 am today, the UP police said. Two people who were at the location of the incident have been arrested, the police said.
