— The Supreme Court of India on Friday expressed strong dissatisfaction over the lack of progress in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence trial, noting that proceedings have effectively stalled with no witnesses examined for approximately two months.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi criticized a status report submitted by the Uttar Pradesh government, pointing out that the document failed to provide any justification for the non-production of witnesses.
The apex court’s intervention comes as Ashish Mishra, the son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra, and 12 others face trial for their alleged involvement in the deaths of farmers during a 2021 protest.
Frustrated by the recent deadlock in the courtroom, the bench issued a direct mandate to the trial court. “We direct the presiding judge to take lawful measures to secure the presence of witnesses,” the bench stated.
In addition to securing witness testimony, the Supreme Court instructed the trial judge to make a concerted effort to conclude the trial in a time-bound manner and requested a fresh status report on the progress of the proceedings.
3, 2021, in the Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district. The incident occurred during a farmer-led protest against a scheduled visit by then-Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The violence resulted in eight fatalities:
- Four farmers were mowed down by a sports utility vehicle (SUV).
- A journalist also lost his life during the ensuing chaos.
- Two BJP workers and a driver were allegedly lynched by an angry crowd following the initial collision.
The trial currently involves two separate cases related to the day’s events. In December 2023, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 other associates for murder and criminal conspiracy, among other penal offenses, setting the stage for the current judicial process.
With the Supreme Court now demanding accountability for the recent delays, the focus shifts back to the Uttar Pradesh trial court to see if the examination of witnesses will resume in the coming weeks.
