On a petition calling for action in the killing of farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, the Supreme Court today asked the state government to report by tomorrow how many have been arrested.
The court asked the government to file a status report tomorrow specifying action taken and the eight who were killed on Sunday during a protest against Union Minister Ajay Mishra's visit.
The Uttar Pradesh government today announced that a single-member Commission of Enquiry, headed by retired High Court Judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava will probe Sunday's violence in Lakhimpur Kheri district that led to the death of eight people, including four farmers.
The violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, that left eight people including four farmers dead - triggering a major political row over the alleged involvement of a union minister's son, was taken up by a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana today.
The court has decided to take up the case amid a growing outcry over the Uttar Pradesh police's handling of the investigation, media reports and a letter written to the Chief Justice by two lawyers from the state.
The letter had called for a CBI probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Varun Gandhi today called for "accountability for the innocent blood of farmers" as he tweeted a longer and better quality video that reveals what happened at UP's Lakhimpur Kheri earlier this week - when a black SUV (confirmed by Union Minister Ajay Mishra as belonging to his family) ploughed through a group of farmers holding a peaceful protest.
Farmers have vowed to intensify their months-long movement against laws aimed at liberalising agriculture as tension flared after the eight people were killed in clashes between protesters and ruling party supporters on Sunday.
Four of the eight were killed when a car belonging to Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish crashed into protesters in Uttar Pradesh state, protest leaders said. And yet four days later, despite being named in a police complaint, he was yet to be arrested.
Here are Highlights on UP Violence In Lakhimpur Kheri:
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav today reached Lakhimpur Kheri and met the families of the journalist and farmers killed in the incident.
Rajasthan Congress workers led by state unit president Govind Singh Dotasra held a demonstration in Bharatpur district today against central and Uttar Pradesh governments over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and his supporters were detained today while they were on their way to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh which is on the boil after a group of farmers were run over by a Union Minister's car.
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. The move came as the Supreme Court asked UP about arrests and action taken in the case.
Former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday demanded the arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni's son and threatens to go on hunger strike from tomorrow.
The Congress leader while leading a march to Lakhimpur in Uttar Pradesh said, "If arrests are not made or he (MoS Teni's son) doesn't join the investigation by tomorrow, then I will sit on hunger strike."
The Communist Party of India (CPI) today said the single-member commission of enquiry set up by the Uttar Pradesh government for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident which claimed eight lives was an ''eyewash'', otherwise why would the Supreme Court have to take cognisance of it.
While speaking to ANI, CPI's General Secretary D Raja said, "The state government committee is an eyewash to hoodwink the people. Why would the Supreme Court have to take cognisance then? Let us wait and see what the Supreme Court orders."
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or a high court into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and said Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, whose son is among those charged, should resign to ensure an impartial probe.
Priyanka Gandhi, who had on Wednesday met the families of three of the eight people killed in the violence, told reporters, "In my view and that of the victims' families as well, the case should be probed by a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge, and not the retired judge."
A five-member delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has left from Chandigarh for Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday to meet the family of the victims of October 3's incident which claimed eight lives, reported news agency ANI.
"A high-level delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is leaving for Lakhimpur Kheri today to meet the families of farmers who were brutally murdered while protesting peacefully against the three farm laws," a statement issued by the party today read.
A day after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the violence that took place in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, it clarifies that Court's Registry was asked to register a PIL but due to miscommunication it was registered as a suo motu matter, reported news agency ANI.
Chief Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana said, "Two advocates wrote a letter to the court on Tuesday, we directed our Registry to register the letter as PIL but due to miscommunication, they registered it as a suo motu matter."
Union Minister Ajay Mishra - whose son Ashish has not been arrested despite being named in a murder case connected with the death of eight people at Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday - attended a national conference of prison officials on Thursday morning.
The media, earlier invited to cover the event, was not allowed in. The invitation was withdrawn over concerns reporters could press Mr Mishra on the delayed arrest of his son.
Ashish Mishra has been accused of murder and negligence in a FIR filed by UP Police.
BJP MP Varun Gandhi today called for "accountability for the innocent blood of farmers" as he tweeted a longer and better quality video that underlines the sickening events at UP's Lakhimpur Kheri earlier this week - when a black SUV (confirmed by Union Minister Ajay Mishra as belonging to his family) ploughing into a group of farmers holding a peaceful protest.
"The video is crystal clear. Protestors cannot be silenced through murder. There has to be accountability for the innocent blood of farmers that has been spilled and justice must be delivered before a message of arrogance and cruelty enters the minds of every farmer," he wrote.
Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat will be visiting violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh today.
Congress workers from the state will also accompany Mr Rawat in more than 1,000 vehicles to Lakhimpur Kheri from Ramnagar via Kaladungi, Bajpur, Kichha.
Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met two families in Lakhimpur Kheri, whose loved ones died on Sunday, run over by an SUV allegedly driven by Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Thursday. Read more
A cleaner, longer clip of the viral video from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri that reveals what happened on Sunday before the violent clashes shows a black SUV - which a union minister has confirmed to be his family's - ploughing into an unarmed group of protesters at great speed. Read more
