According to media reports, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Ashish Mishra, the son of junior Union Home Minister Ajay Mishra, after discovering inconsistencies in his alibi regarding violence in the state’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. Ashish is accused of mowing down four farmers on October 3 during a protest against his father’s visit to Lakhimpur Kheri. The father-son team has accused the protesters of lynching two BJP workers and the driver of their vehicle. According to them, the vehicle overturned after being attacked by protesters, killing the four farmers. The violence also claimed the life of a local journalist.
After more than 11 hours of questioning, Ashish was arrested by police on October 9. After ignoring summons on previous days, Ashish appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) in the crime branch office of the police line on Saturday morning.
DIG Upendra Agarwal, who leads the Uttar Pradesh Police’s special investigation team (SIT) looking into the case, told reporters that Ashish had been arrested “due to non-cooperation and evasive responses He will be brought before the court, and he will be interrogated in custody for an extended period of time.” According to NDTV, while Ashish stated that he was at a wrestling event about 4-5 kilometres from the scene of the violence, the statements of police personnel stationed at the event and the people who attended reveal that the minister’s son went missing between 2 and 4 p.m.
Ashish’s mobile tower located at the time also indicates his proximity to the crime scene. Mishra, on the other hand, has told police that he was in his rice mill at the time, which is located near the crime scene and under the same tower.
Mishra’s aides filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the farmers, alleging that his driver, Hari Om, was driving the Mahindra Thar that allegedly ran over the farmers. However, a police video shows the driver wearing a white shirt or kurta, whereas Hari Om was discovered wearing a yellow kurta when his body was brought to the hospital.