Lakhimpur Kheri: Police searching for key witness

LUCKNOW /LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Even two weeks after the Lakhimpur Kheri violence of October 3, a key witness, Sumit Jaiswal, has failed to appear before the investigators to provide his version of the incident.

Jaiswal is a complainant in the second FIR lodged under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code for murder in connection with the death of a journalist, two BJP workers and Hari Om Mishra, the driver of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra.

Hari Om Mishra, was allegedly driving his car when the violence broke out after four farmers were mowed down in the Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3.

A police official privy to the investigation said investigators were searching for Sumit Jaiswal and he was still untraceable. He said Jaiswal could reveal the details of what exactly happened before and after the violence as he was reportedly present in the Mahindra Thar SUV, which mowed down the four farmers.

His version would help establish the sequence of events on the day.

The official said Sumit Jaiswal was seen in a video escaping from the Mahindra Thar soon after the incident. He said Jaiswal, while talking to media persons, admitted his presence in the SUV as shown in the viral video. “He even mentioned in the FIR that he, along with the driver Hari Om Mishra and another BJP worker Shubham Mishra, was present in the SUV. The driver and the BJP worker were killed in the violence after the mowing down of the farmers,” the official added.

Sumit Jaiswal, resident of Lakhimpur city and member of the Shivpuri Nagarpalika ward, mentioned in the FIR that some anti-social elements among the protesting farmers attacked them with stones and canes. He alleged the attackers later stopped the SUV and lynched the driver and the BJP worker while he somehow managed to escape from the spot.

The official said investigation in connection with the FIR lodged by Sumit Jaiswal was also in progress and some of the persons had been identified. He said multiple videos of the incident had been collected and their authenticity was being verified, adding that witnesses would soon be called for questioning.

Bail plea of Ankit Das, two others rejected

The bail applications of key accused Ankit Das, who is a close friend of Ashish Mishra and nephew of former Union minister Akhilesh Das, his gunner Latif alias Kaale and driver Shekhar Bharti were rejected by the chief judicial magistrate’s court on Saturday, said senior prosecution officer SP Yadav.

Ankit Das and Latif were arrested on October 13 while Shekhar Bharti, driver of a Fortuner, had been arrested on October 12. The trio are in police custody remand since Thursday that will end on Sunday.

HARI OM MISHRA, WAS ALLEGEDLY DRIVING HIS CAR WHEN THE VIOLENCE BROKE OUT AFTER FOUR FARMERS WERE MOWED DOWN ON OCTOBER 3