Farmers Movement Archive

Lakhimpur violence: Both cars in Kheri violence ‘linked’ to Union minister

LAKHIMPUR KHERI: In the eye of a storm after four farmers died when his convoy allegedly ran them over at Banbirpur in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday, Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday. The minister has refuted allegations that his son Ashish was responsible for the farmers’ deaths. But two cars from the convoy that day have been “linked” to the minister — one belongs to him and another to his son’s “friend”. “The minister has confirmed that the (Thar) jeep was registered in his name and that he had let the driver take it for some work. The other car, a Fortuner, was registered in one Ankit Das’s name. We have found Ankit is a resident of Lucknow and the nephew of a former MP. He will definitely be questioned by the police,” a senior police official who didn’t want to be named told TOI. Images from Das’s social media profiles were shared widely on Wednesday, in which he is seen sharing the stage with BJP members, including Teni, at various events. Those in Lakhimpur Kheri identified him as Ashish’s friend. “Ankit bhaiya comes to meet Ashish bhaiya quite often. They are good friends but I don’t know if he came to Banbirpur on October 3,” a local trader who is involved in BJP’s work in Lakhimpur Kheri told TOI. A farmer who was present at the site of the Banbirpur killings on Sunday added, “One of the persons (from the convoy) we handed over to the police had told us that the Fortuner belongs to a Lucknow-based contractor. The man himself said he was a clerical officer for the contractor. Later, we realised it’s Ankit Das’s car.” Earlier in the day, Teni met Shah “after the state government submitted its report on the Kheri violence to the home department”, BJP sources told TOI. Teni had, however, denied any link between the Lakhimpur Kheri case, in which his son is an accused, and Wednesday’s meeting, telling a news agency that the reason for his Delhi visit is that he has “work and appointments” lined up. Teni is scheduled to be the chief guest of an event on prison reforms, organised by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, on Thursday at Mahipalpur in Delhi. While there was speculation that Teni may step down, BJP sources told TOI on Wednesday evening that it may not be on the cards. Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, who has been at the forefront of the negotiations of farmers from Kheri with the administration, had demanded Teni’s resignation. There were also reports that Ashish may surrender to the police, but he had not done so at the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Romi Sahni, who represents Palia in Lakhimpur Kheri, came out in strong support of farmers.

The Times of India

2021-10-07

India