NE NEWS SERVICE
LUCKNOW/LAKHIMPUR KHERI, OCT 9
Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, was arrested on Saturday after being questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of UP police.
He was quizzed and arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3.
Also Read:
Lakhimpur violence: Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son appears before SIT
Ashish was accused of running over his father’s SUV vehicle over a farmers’ march in which four farmers were killed. Four others were subsequently killed in the fight between farmers and BJP workers.
While the police had booked a case of murder against Ashish Mishra to placate agitating farmers, it did not arrest him.
The police arrested him only after the Supreme Court expressed its severe dissatisfaction over the state government’s action in the case.
The apex court had reminded the UP government that the law must take its course against “whoever is involved”. “What is the message that you are sending? Even in normal circumstances… will the police not go immediately and arrest the accused. Things have not proceeded the way they should have. It appears to be only words and not actions,” Chief Justice NV Ramana had said in a sharp rebuke on Friday.
Farmers have also demanded the removal of Ajay Mishra from the union cabinet and his arrest. The farmers have alleged that the violence against farmers was a “pre-planned conspiracy” and Ajay Mishra was totally involved in it. Farmers also allege that Ajay Mishra is protecting the culprits involved in October 3 violence. The union minister has, however, accepted that the SUV that ran over the farmers belongs to him but it was not being driven by his son.
Congress leader Singh Sidhu ended his fast after the arrest of Ashish Mishra.
According to police, Ashish Mishra was medically examined after his arrest.
Farmers’ groups have announced to hold a ‘rail roko’ on October 18 and a grand panchayat in Lucknow on October 26 to protest the death of 8 people in Lakhimpur Kheri. Shiv Sena has announced to support ‘Maharashtra bandh’ over Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 11.
Meanwhile, a farmer’s march had begun from Champaran in Bihar to Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to demand to scrap the three farm laws. They started the march on October 2 from Champaran.
