UP violence: SC steps in, CJI to hear case today

Rahul, Priyanka meet family members of farmer who died in Kheri violence

The Supreme Court has decided to hear on Thursday the Lakhimpur Kheri case of Uttar Pradesh in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest.

According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court website, a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli would hear the matter.

Eight people were killed on October 3 as violence erupted during a farmers' protest claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

Late on Wednesday, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met family members of a farmer who died.

Farmer cremated

Family members of a 22-yr-old farmer had earlier refused to cremate him, saying he was shot dead but the postmortem report had no mention of it

Gurvinder Singh alias Gyaniji, one of the four farmers killed in the violence, was cremated on Wednesday after a second autopsy was conducted on him as demanded by his family, police said.

Family members of the 22year-old, who was from Moharia village of Bahraich district, had earlier refused to cremate him, claiming he was shot dead but the postmortem report had no mention of it.

They had received the support from farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and Punjabi singer Sonia Maan.

With the Uttar Pradesh government agreeing to their demand, a second postmortem was conducted Tuesday night by a team of experts from Lucknow, Superintendent of Police Sujata Singh said.

Hours later, Gurvinder Singh was cremated by his family members at his village in the presence of Tikait, ADG (Gorakhpur) Akhil Kumar and senior police and administration officials, Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Ashok Kumar said.

The post-mortem report will be prepared under the supervision of the experts who conducted it, SP Singh said.

District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra Singh said the family members of Gurvinder Singh had raised objections on the post-mortem done earlier.

“With the permission of the state government, it was done again and videographed as well,” he added.

Gurvinder Singh's uncle Sukhdev Singh told PTI, “The post-mortem was done in front of us and our leaders. At that time doctors told us that Gurvinder was not shot.”