Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Union minister Ajay Mishra's son appears before police for questioning

Lakhimpur Kheri: Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra appeared for questioning before the SIT on Saturday in the crime branch of the Police Lines here in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. Ashish Mishra appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) before 11 am, the time mentioned in the second summons served to him the previous day after he did turn up for interrogation on Friday. Police officials here at the spot refused to comment on the ongoing interrogation. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu ended his “silent protest” after the minister’s son turned up for questioning. The Punjab Congress unit chief began his ‘maun dharna’ from 6.15 pm on Friday outside the home of local journalist Ram Kashyap in Nighasan tehsil. The protest came to an end around 11.30 am on Saturday Kashyap had also died in the incident on October 3. Speaking to reporters after ending his fast, Sidhu said, “This is the victory of truth. A person may be a king, but no one is bigger than justice. If there is justice, there is ‘shaasan’ (governance), and if there is no justice, there is ‘kushaasan’ (misgovernance). This is the victory of the families of farmers. The family of Lovpreet Singh and the family of Raman Kashyap.” Lovepreet Singh of Palia village of Lakhimpur is among the four farmers who died in the violence. While Ashish Mishra is facing questioning by the SIT team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal, his father Ajay Mishra is huddled with lawyers at his local party office in Lakhimpur. Sources said the police team has prepared over two dozen questions for Ashish Mishra to answer in connection with the case. After two men were arrested on Thursday in the case, police then had pasted a notice outside Ashish Mishra’s house asking him to appear before it in connection with the violence that claimed eight lives. Four of the eight people who died in the violence last Sunday were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Farmers claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. A nine-member team headed by DIG Agarwal has been formed to investigate the FIR lodged against the minister’s son and others. .