Lakhimpur Kheri: SKM rejects UP govt SIT, inquiry commission; threatens 'rail roko' on Oct 18

Rakesh Tikait (File image: AFP)

Rejecting the SIT and the inquiry commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the SKM on Friday said that it will call for a nationwide 'rail roko' protest on October 18 if its demands are not fulfilled. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has been demanding that Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra be sacked and his son Ashish Mishra arrested in connection with the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Eight people were killed in the incident. Of these, four were farmers, who were allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area. Ashish Mishra has been named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down the four farmers.

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In a statement, the SKM said if its demands are not met by October 11, then it will call for a nationwide 'rail roko' protest on October 18. The SKM said that it rejects both the SIT and the Inquiry of Commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. It demanded an impartial probe into the matter that will be monitored directly by the Supreme Court.

The SKM also welcomes the SC's order asking the Uttar Pradesh Police to keep all evidence in the case intact, the statement said. The UP Police issued a fresh notice to Ashish Mishra asking him to appear before it by 11 am on Saturday after he missed his summons for Friday.

Facing reporters at Lucknow airport, Ajay Mishra said his son could not appear before police as he was not well but will record his statement on Saturday. Besides the four farmers, two BJP workers, a driver of Ajay Mishra, and Raman Kashyap, a journalist working for a private TV channel, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.