Two months after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, that resulted in 8 deaths, took place, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has ruled that it was a deliberate act.
While speaking about the matter, SIT officer Vidyaram Diwakar informed, “The incident was a deliberate act and not of negligence or callousness.” He has filed an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM)’s court, seeking replacement of Indian Penal Sections 279 (rash driving), 338 (causes grievous hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly), 304A (causing death by negligence) against the 13 accused with the attempt to murder (IPC 307).
He had further requested the Court to add other IPC Sections such as 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) against the accused.
The 13 arrested accused include Dharmendra Banjara, Rinku Rana, Ashish Mishra, Ashish Pandey, Shekhar Bharti, Ankit Das, Luvkush, Latif, Sishupal, Nandan Singh, Satyam Tripathi, Sumit Jaiswal, and Ullas Trivedi. It must be mentioned that charges of murder (IPC Section 302), rioting ( IPC Section 147), and rioting with deadly weapons (IPC Section 148) were earlier pressed against the accused.
The background of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident
On October 3, a ‘farmer’ mob attacked a BJP convoy with stones and sticks in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Amid the ensuing commotion, a vehicle was seen running over the protestors. Following that, the angry mob of protestors had burned two vehicles, dragged the people inside the vehicle and had beaten them to death.
The incident claimed the lives of 8 people including protesting ‘farmers,’ BJP workers and a journalist. BJP worker Shubham Mishra and his driver Hariom Mishra were also lynched to death at the site by the so-called ‘farmers’. Shubham’s father said in his complaint that Shubham’s gold chain, mobile and wallet were stolen by the protesters who had killed him. He also named Tajinder Singh Virk of Samajwadi Party and Kisan Union leader one of the foremost perpetrators.
The incident soon turned into a major political fight, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to announce a compensation of ₹45 lakh to the kin of the deceased and promised government jobs to one member of each family. A one-member committee has also been formed to probe the case.
