Ashish Mishra, the key accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, is suffering from dengue and has been hospitalised, ANI reported.

Ashish was shifted to a government hospital from the district jail, where he was lodged, due to “suspected dengue”. Citing a senior jail official, the agency reported that Ashish’s blood sample has been sent for confirmation of the vector-borne disease.

Also read: T20 World Cup: India look to preserve perfect record vs Pakistan’s emerging stars

Another senior jail official spoke to PTI and confirmed that Ashish Mishra’s sample has been sent to a laboratory in Lucknow for confirmation of dengue.

“It is not yet confirmed as to whether he (Ashish Mishra) is suffering from dengue,” the superintendent of the Lakhimpur Kheri district jail, PP Singh, told PTI. “His sample was sent for testing on Friday. The picture will be clear once the report comes.”

Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Four more including BJP leader arrested, 10 held so far

Ashish Mishra is the key accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. He is also the son of Union minister of state for home affairs Ajay Mishra.

As many as eight people, including four farmers and a local journalist, were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 in the violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest.

Thirteen people, including Ashish Mishra, have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.