Lakhimpur Kheri violence
Car that ran over farmers ours, son wasn't in it: Union Minister tells media
New Delhi/IBNS: Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish has been named in an FIR in connection with the deadly violence in Uttar Pradesh that left eight people dead last Sunday, has said that the vehicle seen running over farmers, allegedly triggering the clashes, was indeed his.
However, the minister said neither he nor his son was present at the spot when the incident happened.
"From Day One, we have been clear that the [Mahindra] Thar is ours, which is registered in our name. And the vehicle was going to receive someone after picking up our workers. Our son was at another venue. From 11 am till the evening, he was organising another event," Ajay Mishra told NDTV in an interview.
"My son was present there, there were thousands there. There are photos and videos. If you take out his call records and CDR, location... can check all. Thousands of people are willing to give an affidavit also that Ashish Mishra was there," he told the channel.
"As far as the vehicle is concerned, I was clear that my driver was killed, two workers were killed. One worker escaped, three workers are injured, and after that, the car stopped there. After that, the car was pushed and the vehicle and another Fortuner was burnt. Such people can't be farmers. These are extremists hidden amongst farmers," he said.
The lawyers from Uttar Pradesh have written to the Supreme Court seeking CBI inquiry into the Lakhimpur Kheri, where allegedly farmers were mowed down by a car driven by the son of a Union minister, media reports said.
They wrote to Chief Justice NV Ramana to direct the Home Ministry to ensure the filing of a First Information Report and punishment for the alleged involvement of the minister's son in the incident.
The video, being shared widely on social media, is yet to be verified by the police.
The farmers have alleged that the protesters were run over by an SUV driven by Ashish Mishra.
At least eight people were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest, media reports said.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, had alleged four farmers lost their lives in the incident.
According to reports, the farmers were allegedly mowed down by a car driven by the son of a Union minister.
The death of the farmers sparked violence and arson in the area in which four more people died.
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