Charges were framed against Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, and 13 others by a district court in Lakhimpur Kheri on Tuesday in connection with the killing of four farmers in the district in October last year.
Ashish Mishra, who was the prime accused in the case, and others were charged under various sections of the IPC including 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by weapons) and others. The accused were also charged under the Arms Act.
Charges were framed after the court, on Monday, rejected discharge applications by the accused persons, including Ashish, who contended that their names be removed from the case as they were not present when the incident had happened. The court of additional district judge Sunil Kumar Verma fixed December 16 as the next date of hearing.
The case pertained to the killing of four farmers during an agitation in Lakhimpur Kheri last year by the farmers in protest against the now scrapped farm laws. It was alleged that Ashish Mishra was in the SUV which ran over the agitating farmers near Tikonia area in the district. The incident had triggered nationwide condemnation and the opposition parties had demanded sacking of Ajay Mishra.
Eight people, including four farmers and a local scribe, were killed in the violence at Tikonia in the district when hundreds of farmers held protests against Ajay Mishra over the latter's remarks threatening them with dire consequences if they continued to oppose the now scrapped farm laws.
The killings had triggered a nationwide outrage and the opposition parties had demanded sacking of Ajay Mishra.
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