Lakhimpur case witness alleges attempt on life; police file FIR, seek forensic help

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“After dropping my two friends — Jitendra and Vipin — at Badehad village, I was returning home when around 9.30 pm, two men came on a motorcycle from behind. They opened fire at my car and one of the tyres got burst. The car stopped and the assailants came close to the car and tried to open the gate. When they failed to open the door, they again fired two shots. They then ran away,” Singh told The Indian Express over the phone.

A police gunner deployed for Singh’s security was not present with him at the time of the incident. “He had gone for some work and returned after 15 minutes,” Singh said about the gunner.

Based on Singh’s complaint, police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons for attempt to murder. No one has been arrested so far.

“We are examining all aspects of the case,” Superintendent of Police (Lakhimpur Kheri) Sanjiv Suman said.

Police are also taking technical help in their probe and collecting CCTV footage in the area. A forensic team from Lucknow has been called for inspection and ballistic examination.

A police officer involved in the probe said they were questioning Singh’s two friends – Jitendra and Vipin – who were with the BKU leader before the alleged attack took place.

Meanwhile, police have suspended the gunner assigned to Singh.

Earlier, families of the dead farmers had moved the Supreme Court, seeking cancellation of Ashish Mishra’s bail. They claimed that after Ashish’s release on bail, one of the witnesses in the case was attacked on March 10 and the attackers had threatened him.

Police had said that 91 witnesses, including the family members of the deceased, have been provided security. A gunman each has been provided to witnesses whose statements have been recorded before a magistrate, it is learnt.

On October 3, 2021, a convoy of three SUVs, including a Thar owned by Ashish Mishra’s father Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra, allegedly ran over a group of protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Four farmers and a journalist were killed and several others were injured. In the violence that followed, two BJP workers and the driver of the Thar vehicle were killed.

The SIT has arrested 13 people, including Ashish Mishra, for the killing of the farmers and the journalist. In January this year, the SIT filed a chargesheet against 14, including Ashish Mishra and his uncle Virendra Shukla.