Lakhimpur Kheri violence: UP court frames MURDER charges against Ashish Mishra, 13 others

Lakhimpur Kheri: In big trouble for Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday framed murder charges against him and 13 others for their alleged role in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. According to ANI, Additional District Judge I Sunil Kumar Verma framed charges of murder and various offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Mishra and 13 other accused persons.

District government counsel (Criminal) Arvind Tripathi was quoted as saying by PTI the court of additional district judge Sunil Kumar Verma fixed December 16 as the next date of hearing. On Monday, the trial court had dismissed discharge pleas filed by Mishra and other accused in the case.

The charges against Mishra and others have been framed under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 427 (mischief causing damage), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Meanwhile, Virendra Shukla, another accused in the case, will be tried for causing the disappearance of evidence.

Ashish Mishra Monu, son of Union MoS Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, is the main accused in the case. On October 3 last year, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against the now-revoked farm laws. The protesters had impeded the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was planning to attend an event in the area.

During the protests, a four-wheeler belonging to Mishra had allegedly mowed down and killed eight persons, including the protesting farmers. Mishra was arrested on October 9, 2021 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and was remanded to police custody.

Mishra was granted bail by Justice Rajeev Singh of the Allahabad High Court on February 10, stating that there might have been a possibility that the driver of the vehicle that mowed down the protesting farmers sped up the vehicle to save himself. However, the Supreme Court cancelled the bail granted by the High Court in April and remanded the matter back to the High Court for fresh consideration. On July 26, the High Court denied Mishra bail.

(With Agency Inputs)