Mowing Down Farmers in Lakhimpur a ‘Well-Planned Conspiracy’: SIT; Court Orders Adding Fresh Charges

The CJM court in Lakhimpur on Tuesday accepted the demand of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Lakhimpur case to add fresh IPC sections against the accused after the probe revealed that the incident in which four farmers were mowed down by a vehicle was a “well-planned conspiracy” and not an accident. MoS Ajay Mishra Teni’s son, Ashish, is the main accused in the incident.

This comes almost three months after four farmers and a journalist were killed in Tikunia area of Lakhimpur.

The SIT had sought for several sections to be modified against the accused. The sections, which have been increased against the accused, include 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Besides, the SIT applied in the court on Monday to seek the remand of the accused and the court has summoned the accused on Tuesday.

In the Tikunia incident, a case was registered against Ashish for the murder of four farmers and a journalist. Under the relevant sections, the SIT had sent all the accused, including Ashish, Ankit Das and Sumit Jaiswal, to jail.

Meanwhile, political parties have demanded the removal of the MoS, Home. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress UP president Ajay Kumar Lallu have demanded that Teni be sacked immediately to ensure a fair investigation in the case.

SIT Chief Investigating Officer Vidyaram Diwakar has made it clear that this is not a case of accidental death while driving negligently. “There is a case of conspiracy to crush the mob, murder and attempt to murder as per a well-thought-out conspiracy.”

The incident had claimed eight lives when a jeep rammed into a group of farmers who were returning from a protest against the MoS. The videos, which emerged following the incident, showed that vehicles had hit the farmers from behind unprovoked. A journalist had died after being crushed under the wheels of the jeep. After this incident, three BJP workers were beaten to death by an angry crowd in retaliation.

The incident had triggered massive outrage among farmers and demands for the MoS’s resignation grew louder. As the BJP gears up for the 2022 polls, the incident may increase Mishra’s troubles further. Last month, the Supreme Court directed the Special Investigation Team to complete the investigation expeditiously. It also added three IPS officers to the team – those who are not from Uttar Pradesh, though they are allocated to the UP cadre. This was done over concerns that local policemen would manipulate the probe.

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