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News Desk: Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister of state for home affairs Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, on Saturday appeared before the Uttar Pradesh police in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri during which eight people, including four farmers, lost their lives. Ashish Mishra reported to the Crime Branch office in Lakhimpur Kheri town a day after he evaded the police. “We respect the notice and will cooperate in the investigation. Ashish Mishra will appear before the police today,” Awadhesh Kumar, legal advisor of Ashish Mishra, was quoted as saying before his appearance.
The police tightened security outside Teni’s residence and Lakhimpur Kheri police lines ahead of Ashish Mishra’s appearance on Saturday. Ashish Mishra did not appear before the police on Friday when he was summoned as a witness. The Union minister later said his son could not report to the police due to ‘health reasons’. His non-appearance prompted the UP police to paste a fresh notice outside the minister’s residence asking his son Ashish Mishra to appear before them for questioning on October 9.
The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for not immediately arresting Ashish Mishra and said that the state police do not appear to be “really serious” even as the “brutal” episode left eight people dead.
On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh police booked Ashish Mishra for murder. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of several farmers’ unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were leaving after staging a protest against the three central farm laws at the helipad and mowed down farmers. However, Ajay Mishra and Ashish Mishra refuted SKM’s allegations and said his son was not present at the spot where the incident took place.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested two accused, who are said to be close aides of Ashish Mishra in connection with Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The arrested men have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey.
