Supreme Court to hear Kheri matter today, SIT questions farmers on the incident

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, which had on October 8 expressed dissatisfaction over the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in the brutal murder of eight persons, would hear the matter. 

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 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.

Meanwhile, The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the incident, has started zeroing in on local farmers. Over 50 farmers have been summoned by the SIT in connection with an FIR on the alleged lynching of three BJP workers. Fifteen farmers appeared and recorded their statements in the alleged lynching case after notices were issued to them under sections of CrPC.

An SIT official said, “We have been investigating both the FIRs and the farmers were summoned in connection to the second FIR.”