SC to hear Lakhimpur violence matter today

One-liner: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the matter related to the Oct 3 Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence during a farmers' protest.

Provide protection: A bench would hear the matter in which the apex court had on Oct 26 directed the Uttar Pradesh govt to provide protection to witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018.

Direction to UP govt: The top court had also asked the UP govt to record the statements of other witnesses before the judicial magistrate under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and expedite the examination of digital evidence by experts.

Status report sought: The bench had sought a status report from the state govt on the alleged lynching of a journalist and one Shyam Sundar by the mob after a vehicle mowed down four protesting farmers.

• The top court is hearing the Lakhimpur Kheri matter after two lawyers had written to the CJI seeking a high-level judicial inquiry, also involving the CBI, into the incident
• The police have so far arrested several accused, including Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, in connection with the case

Source: PTI