Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: Ashish Mishra's hearing for Police custody today

New Delhi, Oct 11: A remand petition for the police custody of Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, will be heard today in connection with October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Mishra was sent to a 14-day judicial custody by a local court after he was arrested late on Saturday.

After around 12 hours of questioning in connection with the violence in which eight persons including four farmers were killed, a medical team examined Ashish Mishra in the crime branch office, after which he was taken for production before a judicial magistrate, who sent him to custody, senior prosecution officer SP Yadav told PTI.

He said an application for police remand of Ashish Mishra was submitted to the judicial magistrate who fixed it for hearing at 11 am on Monday.

Ashish Mishra was named in an FIR following allegations that he was in one of the vehicles that mowed down four farmers protesting over UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya''s visit last Sunday.

Farmer leaders and opposition parties had been demanding Mishra''s arrest but the minister and his son had denied the allegations.

Two BJP workers and their driver were allegedly lynched by angry farmers in the incident. Local journalist Raman Kashyap also died in the violence, which has triggered a political storm and put the BJP government on the back foot in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.