A 'planned conspiracy' to kill farmers: SIT

Lucknow: After two months of investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the UP Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has submitted to a court that the killing of four farmers and a journalist, in which Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra and 12 others are accused, was a 'planned conspiracy'.

In an application to a local court, the SIT denied that the incident occurred because of negligence or callousness and said the act was deliberate, with an intention to kill. It also sought to invoke charges, including attempt to murder and others against the accused, who are currently in Lakhimpur Kheri jail.

The accused were presented in court on Tuesday.

Senior Public Prosecutor (Lakhimpur Kheri) S P Yadav said the SIT requested the court that IPC Sections 307, 326, 34 along with Sections 3, 25 and 30 of the Arms Act be invoked against all 13, in addition to the charges mentioned in the FIR (of murder and criminal conspiracy, among others).

The court is yet to decide on the SIT's application.

The defence counsel has objected to invoking of Section 34, Yadav said.

The SIT also requested the court to drop three IPC Sections against the accused, including 279 (for rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt by acts endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 A (death by negligence).

On October 3, a convoy of three SUVs, including one owned by Ajay Mishra, had run over a group of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, killing four of them. The family of a journalist had said he too died in the incident. In the violence that followed, two BJP leaders and a driver of the SUV owned by Mishra were lynched by the angry mob.