Youth Congress Workers Protest In Delhi, Demand Arrest Of Minister’s Son Accused of killing Eight including Farmers

Protests over the deaths of eight people, including four farmers, in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri this week became violent, with Youth Congress workers clashing with Delhi Police on Saturday afternoon.

Hundreds of people were seen brandishing placards, yelling slogans, and leaping on burning effigies on the streets of the national capital, according to images from news agency ANI.

Other images showed protestors battling cops as they attempted to burst through barricades.

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Delhi | Indian Youth Congress workers hold protest demonstration over Lakhimpur Kheri violence pic.twitter.com/9Z8tB8nJLm

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2021

The demonstrators are calling for the arrest of Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra and a murder suspect in the Lakhimpur Kheri fatalities (according to a UP Police FIR).

He is, however, still free about a week after the incident.

The Supreme Court questioned the Uttar Pradesh government and police’s handling of the issue on Wednesday and Thursday, and requested a status update on investigations; yesterday, Chief Justice asked the state if they would treat Ashish Mishra differently if he wasn’t the son of a union minister.

“What is the message you (the UP government) are sending. Even in normal circumstances will police not go immediately and apprehend the accused?” Chief Justice NV Ramana asked.

The UP Police issued Ashish a summons to appear for questioning shortly after.

He was supposed to come in yesterday, but he didn’t, leaving a senior cop waiting for more than three hours. His father then claimed that his son’s absence was due to illness.

Despite being labelled as an accused in the FIR, Ashish was issued a summons seconds later, which he replied today – under Section 160 of the CrPC, which defines him as a ‘witness.’

Experts have questioned why no summons was issued under Section 41. (for those accused). Even under Section 160, police sources countered, an arrest might be made.

A convoy of vehicles, including an SUV owned by Ajay Mishra, slammed into a group of farmers on Sunday, killing eight persons, including four farmers, a journalist, and a BJP worker.

According to the farmers, Ashish Mishra was in one of the automobiles.

All allegations have been levelled against Ashish and his father. Mr Mishra told NDTV that the car belonged to his family, but that he and his son were not in it at the time of the accident.

With input from ANI