Lakhimpur Kheri: Two More Arrested in Connection With Lynching of BJP Workers

The SIT arrested two demonstrators, Vichitra Singh and Gurvinder Singh, in connection with the matter.

Vichitra Singh and Gurvinder Singh.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Two more people were arrested on Tuesday, 26 October, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which eight people, including four farmers, had died on 3 October. The four farmers were killed after being allegedly mowed down by Union Minister of State Ajay Misra's son Ashish Misra.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the Lakhimpur violence, arrested two demonstrators, Vichitra Singh and Gurvinder Singh, in connection with the probe of the lynching of three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers killed in the violence immediately after the cars mowed down farmers.

A second First Information Report (FIR) for murder was registered against unknown farmers based on the complaint of BJP worker Sumit Jaiswal.

Meanwhile, the SIT released contact numbers of its members urging eye witnesses to come forward and contact them to get their statements recorded and to provide digital evidence, news agency ANI reported.

SIT added that details of such people will be kept confidential if they want and they will be given security.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court questioned the Uttar Pradesh administration on the inadequacy of eyewitness accounts in the case.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana noted, "Your case or anybody's case is that there are 100s of farmers, there was a rally going on and only 23 eyewitnesses?"

The latest arrests come just two days after Ashish Misra, the main accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, was admitted to a district hospital on Sunday, 24 October, after he tested positive for dengue, The Indian Express reported.

Three more people had been arrested on Saturday, 23 October. The total number of arrests made so far in the case has now risen to 15, including Ashish Misra.