Supreme Court to hear Lakhimpur Kheri matter on October 20

PTI, Oct 20, 2021, 8:00 AM IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday the matter pertaining to the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight persons, including four farmers, were killed during a farmers’ protest.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, which had on October 8 expressed dissatisfaction over the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in the “brutal” murder of eight persons, would hear the matter.

Ten people, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, have been arrested so far in connection with the case.

The top court is hearing the matter after two lawyers had written a letter to the CJI seeking a high-level judicial inquiry, also involving the CBI, into the incident.

Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre’s three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.

Several farmer organisations are protesting against the passage of three laws — The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 since last November.

The apex court had stayed the implementation of these laws in January.

Initially, the protests started from Punjab in November last year and later spread to Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh

While hearing the matter on October 8, the apex court had questioned the Uttar Pradesh government over the non-arrest of all the accused and had directed preservation of evidence.

The bench had said, “the law must take its course against all accused” and “the government has to take all remedial steps in this regard to inspire confidence” in the investigation of “brutal murder of eight persons”.

The counsel appearing for the state government had assured the top court on October 8 that all appropriate action would be taken in the case.