The Uttar Pradesh Government decided on Monday to select a retired high court judge from outside the state to oversee the continuing investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri tragedy, which claimed the lives of at least eight people in October. The state administration has now asked the Supreme Court to designate a judge to supervise the investigation.
The Supreme Court had previously ordered the state to pick a former high court judge to oversee the probe, which had been tainted by charges of carelessness, and had proposed the names of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain and Justice Ranjit Singh.
The court said “it needs one more day’s time as it’s considering former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Rakesh Kumar Jain or others,”. The court has also ordered the state to also include some more senior police officers in the Special Investigation Agency (SIT).
At least four farmers and a journalist were among those who were killed on October 3 near the Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh. Agitated farmers say that Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son — Ashish Mishra — was inside the vehicle, when the killings took place. However, the Union minister and his son denied any wrongdoing.
The police have so far arrested 13 accused, including Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, in connection with the case. Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is preparing to intensify the agitation against farm laws and is planning countrywide protests to mobilise farmers against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The farmers mainly from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against three farm legislation since November last year. The top court in January this year, stayed the laws, hence blocking its implementation.
