Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son appears before SIT

Lakhimpur Kheri

Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra on Saturdayappeared before the special investigation team (SIT) formed in connection withthe Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Police officials here at the spot refused to comment on the ongoinginterrogation.

Ashish Mishra was supposed to appear before police on Friday, but he did not doso. The Uttar Pradesh Police then issued a fresh notice asking him to appearbefore it by 11 am on Saturday. After two men were arrested on Thursday in thecase, police then had pasted a notice outside Ashish Mishra's house asking himto appear before it in connection with the violence that claimed eight lives.

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 thenallegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.

The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Farmers claimed thatAshish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and hisfather who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at thattime.

A nine-member team headed by DIG Upendra Agarwal has been formed to investigatethe FIR lodged against the minister's son and others.