Lakhimpur: The Supreme Court on Friday voiced concern over the slow progress of the trial in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, noting that witnesses have not appeared before the court for nearly two months.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi criticised the status report submitted by the Uttar Pradesh government, observing that it failed to explain why witnesses were not being produced during the proceedings.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the trial, the Bench directed the presiding judge to take appropriate legal steps to ensure that witnesses attend court hearings without further delay.
The apex court also instructed the trial court to make efforts to complete the proceedings within a reasonable timeframe and submit an updated status report on the progress of the case.
The matter relates to the violence that erupted in Tikunia village of Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3, 2021, during a farmers’ protest against the visit of then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The incident left eight people dead, including four farmers who were allegedly run over by a sports utility vehicle. Following the incident, a driver and two BJP workers were reportedly attacked and killed by protesters. A local journalist also lost his life during the clashes.
Ashish Mishra, son of former Union minister Ajay Mishra, is among the accused facing trial in connection with the deaths of the farmers. In December 2023, the trial court framed charges against him and 12 others on counts including murder, criminal conspiracy and other offences under criminal law.
Separate trials connected to the violence are currently underway in Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court has been periodically monitoring developments in the matter.
