Lakhimpur Kheri violence case updates – Eight persons, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed on October 3 in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district during a farmers’ protest.

New Delhi: 

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to provide protection to witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The court further ordered that the statements of witnesses should be recorded expeditiously in connection with the case.

The court also asked the state government to file replies on the investigation into the killing of a journalist Raman Kashyap and one Shyam Sundar in Lakhimpur Kheri case. The court also directed forensic labs to expedite the process of submitting reports relating to videos of the incident.

Resuming hearing in the matter, the Supreme Court today asked why there were only 23 eyewitnesses when hundreds of farmers were present in the rally.

The court asked this after senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, said that out of the 68 witnesses, the statements of 30 witnesses have been recorded. Salve further informed the court that 23 persons claim to be eyewitnesses to the incident in which eight persons, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed on October 3.

The farmers were run over by a car belonging to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra’s convoy during a protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district.

The UP Police have so far arrested 13 people, including Ashish Mishra – a prime suspect and the son of the Union minister, in connection with the incident.

The Supreme Court bench pointed out that there was a crowd of 4,000 to 5,000 people who are all locals and even after the incident, many have been agitating. 

“This is what has been reported. Then, the identification of these people should not be a problem,” the court noted.

The Uttar Pradesh government’s counsel told the court that people present at the spot have seen the car and the people who were inside the car.

The court then told the state government that if an eyewitness is more credible than a bystander, then it is best to have first-hand information.

Salve then informed the bench that the UP government can provide in a sealed cover the recorded statements of the witnesses in the case.

The matter will be next heard in the Supreme Court on November 8.