Lakhimpur violence: SC adjourns hearing till 15 November
The Supreme Court has adjourned hearing in the Lakhimpur Kheri farmers’ killing case till November 15. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana adjourned the case to next week following a request by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Earlier, this week Supreme Court expressed dismay at how it was being handled for the third time in recent weeks.
The hearing convened two weeks after the previous session, during which the Supreme Court questioned the UP government on why there were “only 23 eyewitnesses” to the violence on October 3 when thousands were supposedly present at the spot at the time.
The Supreme Court, in its October 26 order, directed the UP government to record statements of more witnesses and give them protection.
Eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed on October 3 during a farmers’ protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. An SUV, allegedly belonging to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra, ran over them.
The Union minister’s son Ashish Mishra is accused of driving the car. Multiple videos show the SUV ramming a group of farmers from behind.
13 people, including prime suspect Ashish Mishra, have so far been arrested in the case.