Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Chargesheet Against 4 Farmers Over Death Of BJP Workers, Driver

Ashish Mishra, who has already been arrested, was named as the prime accused in the case and has been lodged in jail since October 9.

A vehicle set on fire after violence broke out as farmers were allegedly mowed down by a vehicle in Lakhimpur Kheri October 3, 2021. (File Photo/ PTI)

New Delhi: A chargesheet has been filed against four accused farmers over the death of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and a driver during the violence that took place in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpuri Kheri district in October last year. 

Senior Prosecuting Officer (SPO) SP Yadav said that Police filed chargesheet against four accused, identified as Vichitra Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Kamaljeet Singh and Gurpreet Singh.

"Final reports in respect of three persons Ranjeet Singh, Sonu, alias Kanwaljeet Singh, and Avtar Singh have been submitted under Section 169 of the CrPC and their release orders are being issued," he said.

According to the chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), all seven farmers are accused of lynching three people (BJP workers and a driver) during the violence that erupted after four farmers and a journalist was mowed down by a speeding car allegedly linked to Union Minister Ajay Misra Teni's son Ashish. 

Among the dead were four farmers, a journalist, two BJP workers and a driver.

The accused farmers are currently lodged in jail.

Earlier this month, the SIT filed a nearly 5,000-page charge sheet in the case that was presented before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate today.

The charge sheet comes after the investigating team summoned 12 farmers in connection with the alleged lynching earlier this month. 

During the investigating, most of the farmers claimed that they were present at the spot but were not involved in the attack. At that time, they were charged under bailable sections such as 'rioting' and 'voluntarily causing hurt' and were let off by the SIT officials under Section 41 of the CrPC.

Seven farmers have been arrested in the case so far and the SIT is looking for more suspects.

Ashish Misra, who has already been arrested, was named as the prime accused in the case and has been lodged in jail since October 9.

Additionally, SIT in its report said that the deaths "did not happen due to negligence or callousness" and that accused persons' actions were "deliberate with an intention to kill".