Lakhimpur violence:Investigators seek custody of another key accused

BJP corporator, Sumit Jaiswal, arrested along with three others , for further interrogation in connection with the killing of four farmers on October 3

LUCKNOW/LAKHIMPUR KHERI Investigators sought police custody remand of local BJP corporator, Sumit Jaiswal, who was arrested along with three others on Monday, for further interrogation in connection with the killing of four farmers on October 3, after which violence broke out in Tikunia village, said police officials.

People take a look at the overturned SUV that was destroyed in violence during farmers’ protest, at Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district (PTI file photo)

Jaiswal is a complainant in the second FIR lodged regarding the killing of two BJP workers, a journalist and a driver in the violence that broke out after the SUV of the minister’s son allegedly mowed down the farmers. He was present in the vehicle that allegedly mowed down four farmers during a protest against the agricultural laws.

The other three arrested people -- Shishupal of Lakhimpur Kheri, Nandan Singh Bisht of Lucknow and Satya Prakash Tripathi of Kaushambi -- were present in the remaining vehicles, which were part of the convoy.

The first FIR was lodged by a farmer, Jagjeet Singh, in connection with killing of four farmers. MoS Home Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and 15-20 others were accused in the case.

So far, the police had arrested 10 accused, including minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, his two accomplices Luv Kush and Ashish Pandey, in connection with the case. Ashish Mishra was named in the FIR while the names of the other accused surfaced during investigation.

14 days’ judicial custody

On Tuesday evening, the four accused – Sumit Jaiswal, Shishupal, Nandan Singh Bisht and Satya Prakash Tripathi –were produced before the court of remand magistrate Diksha Bharti. Senior prosecution officer (SPO) SP Yadav said the court sent them to 14 days’ judicial custody till November 2. He confirmed that the investigation officer of the case moved an application to the court for police custody remand of these accused. The application was scheduled to be heard on Thursday, he added.

Photographs of suspects released

Meanwhile, the special investigators focused their investigations into the second FIR in the Tikunia violence case, summoning witnesses and seeking cooperation from people to identify the suspects through photographs.

Six photographs released by the investigators showed groups of agitating farmers visible around injured people lying on the ground and near the SUV that allegedly mowed down the farmers.

The pictures were obtained from the videos provided to the investigators. The police urged people to help identify the suspects.