The accused were taken to the site of the incident on the Tikonia-Banbirpur road amid tight security.

#WATCH Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Lakhimpur Kheri to recreate the crime scene pic.twitter.com/T6ffwrN2z4

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 14, 2021

Eight people died in the violence, of which four were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a convoy of vehicles, including one owned by Union MoS Ajay Mishra. The clash that broke out thereafter killed two BJP workers and their driver. One journalist was also killed in the incident.

Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 9, Shekhar Bharti on October 12, and Ankit Das and Latif on October 13. A total of six persons have been arrested in connection with the case so far.

Earlier on Wednesday, a local court in Lakhimpur Kheri had denied bail to Mishra, the main accused in the case.

Tikait unhappy with probe into Lakhimpur violence case

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing probe into the Lakhimpur violence case and said that the “red-carpet arrest” of MoS Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish has fuelled anger among protesting farmers.

Demanding dismissal of Ajay Mishra, Tikait said there cannot be a fair investigation in the case if the accused person’s father continues to hold the chair.

Police at Lakhimpur Kheri to recreate the the sequence of events leading to the incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Tikonia village on October 3. (Express Photo )

“The red carpet arrest of the minister’s son who is the main accused in the incident has fuelled anger among the protesting farmers,” the BKU leader told mediapersons in Aligarh. “The whole world understands that no justice can be given if the minister whose son is being investigated continues to hold his chair,” he said.

He reiterated that the protest against the Lakhimpur violence would intensify if Ajay Mishra was not removed from his post.

BJP leader seeks sacking of Union MoS Ajay Mishra

BJP leader Ram Iqbal Singh Thursday accused Union minister Ajay Mishra of being behind the Lakhimpur violence and sought his sacking from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that questions are also being raised about the prime minister for not sacking the minister.

Alleging that Mishra was behind the violence, Singh, also a BJP state executive member, said his “threatening statement” added fuel to the fire.

“His son crushed farmers to death under his car. He was arrested after the intervention of the Supreme Court, but even today the minister is sitting on the chair. In such a situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack him immediately,” Singh told media persons.

He further said that the image of the BJP government has been “tarnished” by the Lakhimpur incident and the Gorakhpur businessman murder case.

Varun Gandhi shares clip of Vajpayee’s speech in support of farmers

In an apparent message to the government, BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Thursday posted on Twitter a short clip of a speech of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1980 in which he warns the then Indira Gandhi government against repressing farmers and extends his support to them.

Gandhi tweeted, “Wise words from a big-hearted leader…”

The BJP MP, who has been vocal in his support of farmers agitating against the three agri laws, has also sought stringent action against those responsible for the death of the four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.

He was recently dropped from the BJP national executive in what was seen as an indication of the party leadership’s unhappiness with the Pilibhit MP.

Ashish Mishra still his father’s political heir in his village

At Banveerpur, Union minister Ajay Mishra’s village, most are willing to testify that his son Ashish Mishra was present at the venue of a wrestling event on October 3 when a convoy of vehicles, including one owned by his father, mowed down a group of farmers, killing four of them and a journalist.

Despite his arrest, most villagers vouch for Ashish’s innocence. For them, among his three siblings, Ashish, the eldest, remains Ajay Mishra’s political and business heir.