Lakhimpur-Kheri violence: Union minister Ajay Mishra's son to face trial

Ashish Mishra was the prime accused in the killing of 4 farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh last year

Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, who was the prime accused in the killing of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh in October last year, will face trial in the matter following rejection of his petition seeking removal of his name from the case by a local court.

Charges against Ashish Mishra and others would be framed on Tuesday.

Ashish Mishra and others had approached the court seeking direction to the police to drop their names from the case, which pertained to killing of four farmers during an agitation in Lakhimpur Kheri last year by the farmers in protest against the now scrapped farm laws.

Also Read | Lakhimpur violence: Allahabad High Court denies bail to Ashish Mishra

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.

Ashish Mishra had earlier been granted bail by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court in February this year but the supreme court, upon being moved by the farmers, cancelled the bail and referred the matter back to the HC. Earlier the HC had also rejected the bail applications of four other accused persons namely Ankit Das, Luvkush, Sumit Jaiswal and Shishupal.

The cout had then remarked that the incident might not have happened had union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra not used provocative language against the farmers.

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.