Even as the spotlight remains on Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri two days after the incident, sources have told News18 that Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish, who has been accused of running over protesting farmers with his car, may surrender to the police.
Teni was in Delhi on Wednesday and was seen visiting the home ministry in North Block . An FIR has been registered against Ashish under Section 302 (punishment for murder). If the post-mortem report shows no wounds of bullet, the case will remain only of 304A (causing death by negligence), which is bailable from the police station.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on his way to visit the area on Wednesday and has already boarded the flight from Delhi, even as his sister Priyanka Gandhi was released. Five people from each political party was granted permission to visit the place of violence.
Here are 10 points on the incident so far:
— Farmers had gathered in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday protesting Union minister Teni’s visit with black flags. The minister had said “farmers should reform themselves or they will be reformed”. They were said to have protesting remarks made by him earlier in the day. During the protest a car that belonged to Teni’s convoy and allegedly being driven by Ashish is said to have driven over and crushed to death several people at the protest.
— Amid the news of the incident, violence ensued in the area with angry farmers allegedly torching a vehicle reportedly belonging to the minister’s convoy. There were also reports of firing at the spot.
— While the farmers said that the minister’s son deliberately drove over the protesting farmers, the minister denied the allegations and said his son was not present at the spot. He said that vehicles going to receive the deputy chief minister were attacked with stones by farmers and this led to the driver losing control of the vehicle. The minister said that three BJP workers were lynched and killed.
— Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath called the incident “unfortunate”. A statement by the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said, “Chief Minister had expressed grief in the Lakhimpur incident. He called the incident very unfortunate. Uttar Pradesh government will investigate the matter in detail and will take strict actions against the culprits.”
— The incident drew harsh criticism from Opposition leaders and farmers leaders. While the Bhartiya Kisan Union said on Twitter, “The protesting farmers were run over by car of Union Minister Teni’s son, three farmers have died, Tejinder Singh Virk is also injured. Rakesh Tikait is leaving Ghazipur,” former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said, “It is a very inhuman and cruel act to trample the farmers peacefully opposing the agricultural laws by the son of the Minister of State for Home of the BJP government. UP will not tolerate the oppression of arrogant BJP people anymore. If this situation continues, then the BJP in UP will neither be able to walk nor get off the vehicle.” Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh said, “Violence or provocation of violence is no solution to any problem. Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi condemned the incident and shared his condolences with the “bereaved families in this hour of grief.” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the “sacrifice” of those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident “will not go in vain.”
— The Samyukta Kisan Morcha called for a nation-wide protest outside the offices of district magistrates and divisional commissioners across India over the incident.
— Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was detained by the Uttar Pradesh police on Monday and formally arrested on Tuesday as she tried to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. She had a brief altercation with the police in Lucknow, and managed to go through several police deployments but was later detained. She was formally arrested on Tuesday for violating Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code among other charges. Other Opposition leaders were also stopped from going to Lakhimpur Kheri. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel did a dharna while sitting on the floor of the Lucknow airport when he was stopped from leaving the airport.
— A viral video of the incident that apparently showed a black SUV mowing down the protesting farmers raised further questions about the incident. The video, tweeted by Priyanka Gandhi tweeted the 29-second showed the black SUV being driven into a group of farmers followed by another vehicle. It also raised questions about Teni’s version of the events where he said the farmers had attacked the vehicle.
— The Uttar Pradesh government meanwhile sent a report to the Centre on the Lakhimpur violence expressing political concerns over the incident. Sources told News18 that the report details the car running over farmers, assault on the BJP workers and the reasons for route diversion in Lakhimpur. Sources have said that the UP government raised concerns in the report which was submitted before the Union Home Ministry.
— ADG Lucknow Zone told ANI on Wednesday that the videos that went viral on social media may be used in the investigation. “It may prove as an evidence in the incident but we can’t reach any conclusion by seeing just one video,” he said. But even as there was buzz over Teni’s son surrendering, he refused to comment on it. “I can’t answer questions about an ongoing investigation,” the ADG said.
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