Event in which MoS Ajay Kumar Mishra was chief guest put on hold

Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and others are accused of running over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday, following which a case of murder has been registered by the Uttar Pradesh police

A Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) event, in which union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra was invited as the chief guest on Thursday, has been put on hold, people familiar with the development said.

Opposition parties have demanded the sacking of Ajay Mishra as Union minister while farmers have sought the arrest of father-son duo. (Photo Courtesy-Agencies)

He was to attend ‘7th national conference of heads of prisons of all states/union territories’, organised by BPRD at its headquarters in Mahipalpur, as the chief guest.

However, a BPRD spokesperson said on Wednesday that the October 7 program is ‘on hold’, without giving any specific reasons.

Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and others are accused of running over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday, following which a case of murder has been registered by the Uttar Pradesh police.

Eight people, including four farmers and a local journalist Raman Kashyap, died on Sunday in violence that broke out after at least one car, allegedly driven by the minister’s son, hit protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, prompting an angry crowd to burn two vehicles and widen their agitation.

Opposition parties have demanded the sacking of Ajay Mishra as union minister while farmers have sought the arrest of father-son duo.

The minister has defended himself saying he or his son was not present at the spot on Sunday.

Several opposition leaders including Priyanka Gandhi tried to make their way to the Lakhimpur Kheri but were prevented from doing so.