India Diary: Lakhimpur Kheri incident was 'pre-planned conspiracy,' says SIT

The Special Investigation Team probing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident of October 3 has pointed out in its application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) that the incident was well-planned and a deliberate act. All this and more in our weekly news segment from India.

Villagers watch a burnt car which run over and killed farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Source: AP

In its application on December 13, the probing committee included new sections against the 13 accused to make their offence punishable under attempt to murder charges.

The SIT officer, Vidhyaram Diwakar, rejected the accident angle and pointed out that the incident was pre-planned.

On October 3, eight people, including four protesting farmers, died after being mowed down by an SUV belonging to Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra. A local journalist was also killed in the violence.

Cops probing the case have written to a judge saying the charges of rash driving against Mr Mishra and the others should be modified, adding that an attempt to murder charge and the charge of voluntarily causing hurt should be added.

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