The Uttar Pradesh Police have moved an application before a local court to add attempt to murder and other criminal charges in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case against the accused persons, including Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and 12 others, Live Law reported.
In their plea, the police described the attack in October, in which Ashish Mishra’s vehicle had allegedly ran over some protestors, as “pre-planned” and said that it was done with an intention to kill.
On October 3, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that broke out during a protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district against the Centre’s three new farm laws.
The violence started after a car in the convoy of Union minister Ajay Mishra allegedly ran into a group of protestors, who said that some of them were hit when they had ended their protests for the day.
Defence counsel Awadesh Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that the police’s fresh application was based on new evidence and to include additional charges under Indian Penal Code sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) and 34 (common intention), The Indian Express reported.
“The SIT [Special Investigation Team] also requested to invoke Arms Act against accused [person],” Singh said
The court has summoned the 13 accused on Tuesday.
The Union minister’s son was arrested on October 9. The arrest came a day after the Supreme Court said that it was not satisfied with the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in the investigation.
He was charged under Indian Penal Code sections 279 (rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304(a) (causing death by negligence).
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