Tikunia violence: Ex-Union MoS Ajay Mishra, son among four booked for witness intimidation

Lakhimpur Kheri, Oct 6 (PTI) Police here have booked former Union minister of state for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, his son Ashish Mishra and two others for allegedly threatening a witness in the 2021 Tikunia violence case, officials here said on Monday.

The FIR has been filed at Paduva police station in Nighasan tehsil on a complaint by Baljinder Singh, a resident of Katthauha village, who claimed to have witnessed the Tikunia incident, they said.

On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed during the violence in the Tikunia area. Ashish Mishra is an accused in the case and was arrested briefly.

According to the complaint, Amandeep Singh and his unidentified associate allegedly threatened Singh on August 15 and 16, 2023, to prevent him from appearing in court on August 16. Due to the threats, Singh said he left his village and went to Punjab for safety. He has urged police to take action in the matter.

The matter was also raised in the Supreme Court, which directed Lakhimpur Kheri police to depute a senior officer to contact the complainant at his residence and verify the complaint before launching an investigation.

Lakhimpur Kheri Superintendent of Police (SP) Sankalp Sharma told PTI that following the court directives, a deputy superintendent of police was deputed. The officer went to Punjab to contact the complainant for the verification of his complaint.

The FIR was registered at Paduva police station after the verification of the complaint, the SP said.

"The FIR has been filed under Indian Penal Code sections 195A (threatening any person to give false evidence), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) against four accused and further probe is on," Sharma said. PTI COR KIS DIV DIV