A Chief Justice-led Supreme Court bench will hear the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case on Thursday (today). The court has taken a suo moto cognizance of the matter. The hearing will take place at 11 am.
8 persons, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that had erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli will hear the matter on Thursday. The matter has been listed as 'violence in Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) leading to loss of life'.
Earlier, two apex court lawyers had written to the Chief Justice seeking a CBI probe into the matter under the supervision of the top court.
The letter, written by advocates Shiv Kumar Tripathi and CS Panda, said, "With regard to the seriousness of the killing of the farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, it is incumbent upon the Court to intervene in the matter as flashed in the press."
The lawyers had claimed that of late, violence has become the political culture of the country.
The lawyers said that there is a need to protect the rule of law in 'violence-ravaged' Uttar Pradesh, which is evident from media reports.
The letter said the Lakhimpur Kheri incident calls for direction against the UP government and the concerned bureaucrats along with the 'law-breaking police' machinery under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home, so that the "cult of violence comes to a grinding halt".
Meanwhile, the government has formed an SIT, and an investigation is underway to nab the perpetrators.
Farmers and opposition have alleged that it was Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra who was present in one of the SUVs that crushed farmers.
However, Ajay Mishra and his son, both have denied their involvement in the violence and also that they were present in those vehicles.
Both Ajay Mishra and his son have said that the convoy was on its way to receive UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya when some miscreants attacked vehicles which led to the driver losing control.
Several videos of the incident have also surfaced and are being probed by investigating agencies. Farmers, opposition meanwhile have demanded the Centre to sack MoS Ajay Mishra and arrest his son.
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