Farmers Movement Archive

Lakhimpur killings were planned, says SIT

SIT’s chief investigation officer Vidyaram Diwakar, in his letter, said that as per the investigation and evidence collected so far, the criminal act was not committed because of “negligence” , and “callousness”; rather it was “intentionally carried out through a planned conspiracy” to kill people. It led to the death of five people and serious injuries to several others. “Hence sections 307 [attempt to murder], 326 [voluntarily causing grievous hurt through weapons] and 34 [criminal act done by several persons with common intention] of IPC and sections of 3/25/30 of the Arms Act should be added to the warrant of the accused and sections 279 [rash driving], 338 [causing grievous hurt because of negligence] and 304A [causing death by negligence] of IPC be dropped,” he stated. Eight people were killed in Banbirpur village near Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3 after three vehicles allegedly ran over a group of farmers returning after staging a protest against the contentious three farm laws, causing a massive outrage among farmers. The farmers were agitated against Mr. Mishra after a purported video, where he could be heard saying it would take him two minutes to discipline them. Two FIRs were filed in the case. One was lodged on the complaint of the families of the dead farmers. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) observed that the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s stand had been vindicated and had made the position of Mr. Ajay Mishra all the more untenable in the Cabinet. “ From day one, we have been saying that the Minister and his son are involved in the case. We again demand his immediate dismissal and arrest and the farmers’ struggle will continue till he is shown the door,” said Dharmendra Malik, BKU’s media in charge.

The Hindu

2021-12-15

December 15 2021 00:00 IST