SIT arrested Ashish Mishra Lakhimpur Kheri violence
Union Minister of State (MoS)-Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested after nearly 12 hours of interrogation on Saturday night in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed.
The development came a day after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the action taken against the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, which had sparked widespread outrage.
The arrest was confirmed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Upendra Agarwal, who is heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police probing the case.
DIG Upendra Agarwal told reporters that Ashish Mishra is not cooperating in the interrogation.
“We are taking him into custody on the basis of non-cooperation and evasive reply. He will be produced before the court and will be subjected to continuous custodial interrogation,” he said.
Ashish Mishra’s name was registered in the FIR following allegations that he was one of the vehicles that rammed four farmers protesting the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya last Sunday.
Farmer leaders and opposition parties were demanding Mishra’s arrest but the minister and his son denied the allegations.
Angry farmers allegedly thrashed two BJP workers and their driver in the incident.
Local journalist Raman Kashyap was also killed in the violence, which created a political storm and put the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh on the back foot.
After issuing summons to Mishra on the second day for not coming for questioning, he appeared before the SIT around 10.30 am. He was arrested around 11 pm after being questioned by the SIT at the Crime Branch office in the Police Lines.
A large number of security forces and barricades were put up in the area around the police line.
Police sources said Mishra has been kept in the interrogation room and will be produced before the court after medical examination.
Around the age of 35, Ashish Mishra oversees his father’s political activities in his Kheri parliamentary constituency.
When his son was facing questioning by the SIT, Ajay Mishra was at his MP’s office in Lakhimpur town with lawyers and later came out to pacify his supporters, who had gathered in large numbers outside the house and asked him to Slogans were raised in his favor. Son,
The minister told them that Ashish is innocent and he will come out innocent.
The Supreme Court had on Friday questioned the non-arrest of the accused, directed that the evidence be preserved and considered transferring the investigation to some other agency.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana had said without saying anything that the law should take its course against all the accused and the government would have to take all remedial steps in this regard to instil confidence in the probe into the brutal murder of eight persons.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu ended his “silent protest” outside Kashyap’s house in Nighasan tehsil at 6.15 pm on Friday after the minister’s son came for questioning.
“It is the victory of truth. One may be the king, but there is no one greater than justice. If there is justice, there is governance, and if there is no justice, then there is misrule.” Misgovernance) This is a victory for the families of farmers. Lovepreet Singh’s family and Raman Kashyap’s family have a victory.
Lovepreet Singh of Palia village of Lakhimpur is also among those who died in the violence.
Earlier in the day, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is leading the movement against the Centre’s three agrarian laws, alleged that the violence was a pre-planned conspiracy and demanded the arrest of the minister and his son. Was.
The farmers unions said that if the government does not accept their demands by October 11, they will take out a ‘Shaheed Kisan Yatra’ from Lakhimpur Kheri with the ashes of the slain farmers.
SKM called for “Rail Roko” protests across the country from 10 am to 4 pm on 18 October and “Mahapanchayat” in Lucknow on 26 October.
Ajay Mishra should be “sacked from the cabinet and arrested on charges of disharmony, murder and conspiracy.
He is also protecting the culprits in the case”, alleged SKM leader Yogendra Yadav during a press conference in Delhi.
“His son Ashish Mishra and his accomplices, who have been accused of murder, should be immediately arrested,” he said.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over the investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, alleging that instead of punishing the culprits, it was giving bouquets to them.
He said, ‘The way farmers were crushed, now preparations are on to crush the laws. This government has shattered the constitution.
“You have seen how a vehicle ran over farmers fighting for their rights. The guilty are yet to be nabbed. Instead of summoning, a bouquet of flowers is being given. The summons is in name only, and (actually) In) ‘samman’ (respect) is given,” he told reporters in Lucknow.
SKM leader Yogendra Yadav said an “anti ardas” (prayer meeting) would be organized at Tikonia, Lakhimpur Kheri on October 12 to pay tribute to the four farmers and journalist who were killed in the incident.
“All farmer organizations should organize prayer meetings at their respective places on October 12,” he said, urging citizens to light candles outside their houses that evening.
“If the government does not accept our demands by October 11, we will take out a ‘Shaheed Kisan Yatra’ from Lakhimpur Kheri for the ashes of the slain farmers,” he said.
Yadav said that on October 15, SKM will burn effigies of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister in protest against the violence on Dussehra.
Members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a protest in the national capital.
The protesters, led by IYC national president Srinivas Biwi, gathered at Sunehri Bagh Road to march towards Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence on Krishna Menon Marg, but were stopped by police, who put up barricades at the protest site.
Meanwhile, a sit-in was also held here demanding justice for Shubham Mishra, one of the BJP workers killed in the incident.
However, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said he does not consider those who killed BJP workers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri as criminals as they only reacted to the protesters driving SUVs.
Responding to a question, Tikait said, “The killing of two BJP workers after a convoy of cars of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri is an action reaction. I do not consider those involved in the killings as criminals.”
A nine-member team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agrawal has been constituted to investigate the FIR registered against the minister’s son and others in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
After the arrest of two people in the case on Thursday, the police had pasted notices outside Ashish Mishra’s house asking him to appear.
(with PTI input)
Read also: Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: SIT asked these tough questions to Ashish Mishra
Read also: Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SKM put forward five demands before the central government
.