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regular-article-logo Friday, 10 May 2024

Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SIT files chargesheet, Union minister's son named accused

The name of one more person, Virendra Shukla, has been added in the case

Our Bureau, PTI Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) Published 03.01.22, 03:51 PM
The four farmers and the journalist were killed in the October 3 violence as part of a "pre-planned conspiracy," says SIT.

The four farmers and the journalist were killed in the October 3 violence as part of a "pre-planned conspiracy," says SIT. File picture

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which claimed eight lives, has filed a nearly 5,000-page chargesheet against 14 accused, including Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra.

The chargesheet was filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Chinta Ram on Monday.

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In FIR number 219/2021 lodged with Tikunia Police Station, the SIT had identified and arrested 13 accused, including Ashish Mishra 'Monu', Ankit Das, Nandan Singh Bisht, Satyam Tripathi alias Satyam, Latif alias Kale, Shekhar Bharti, Sumit Jaiswal, Ashish Pandey, Lavkush Rana, Shishu Pal, Ullas Kumar alias Mohit Trivedi, Rinku Rana and Dharmendra Banjara.

On Monday, senior prosecution officer (SPO) S P Yadav told reporters that another accused Virendra Shukla's name has been added in the chargesheet under section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Indian Penal Code.

However, Shukla is yet to be arrested. Yadav said the chargesheet against all 14 accused was filed in the court and the proceedings are on.

Violence had erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year when farmers were protesting the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Mishra's native place.

Four agitating farmers were run over by a vehicle while four others, including a journalist, two BJP workers were also killed in the violence that ensued.

Ajay Mishra is currently the MP from Kheri Lok Sabha seat.

The SIT had recently requested a local court to add two charges in the case – attempt to murder and voluntarily causing grievous hurt – against Ashish Mishra and the 12 other previously-named accused. The court had admitted the SIT's plea and ordered the addition of the charges, including under sections of the Arms Act.

The SIT had said in a report submitted to the court that the four farmers and the journalist were killed in the October 3 violence as part of a "pre-planned conspiracy".

The SIT wrote in the report that the deaths “did not happen due to negligence or callousness” and that the accused persons' actions were “deliberate with an intention to kill”.

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