Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SIT team arrests two farmers for alleged lynching of BJP workers

At least two farmers have been arrested in connection with the alleged lynching of three BJP workers during the violence that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year.

Lakhimpur Kheri: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested two farmers in connection with the alleged lynching of three BJP workers during the violence that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year. According to SIT sources, the two farmers, Kamaljeet Singh, 29, and Kawaljeet Singh Sonu, 35, were arrested by the SIT on Saturday.

They had been allegedly hiding from the police for nearly two months. The SIT had earlier released pictures of a few suspects, which included the two. They will be produced before a magistrate and their remand custody will be sought by the investigating officer.

So far, six farmers have been arrested in connection with the death of three BJP workers. The SIT had earlier arrested Vichitra Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Avtaar Singh, and Ranjeet Singh after they were identified as suspects.

An FIR with charges of murder and rioting was initially registered against 'unidentified farmers' based on the complaint of BJP worker Sumit Jaiswal, who is a co-accused along with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni's son, Ashish Mishra, in connection with the deaths of four farmers and a journalist during the violence.

The FIR filed by Sumit did not mention the deaths of the five, who were allegedly mowed down by Ashish's convoy. The first FIR related to the violence was lodged by the police on the basis of a complaint filed by farmers against Ashish and others.

The SIT arrested 13 people in that case and termed the incident as "planned". In November 2021, the apex court had reconstituted the SIT and added new members, IPS officers S.B. Shiradkar, Preetinder Singh, and Padmaja Chauhan, along with retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, Rakesh Kumar Jain, to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

IANS