Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Ashish Mishra, the son of junior Union Home Minister Ajay Mishra, after finding inconsistencies in his alibi regarding violence in the state’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, according to a media report. Ashish is accused of mowing down four farmers during a protest against his father’s visit to Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. The father-son duo have accused the protesters of lynching two BJP workers and the driver of their car. They allege the vehicle overturned after coming under attack ​from the protesters, leading to the death of the four farmers. A local journalist also died in the violence.

Ahish was arrested by police on October 9 after over 11 hours of questioning. Ashish appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) in the crime branch office of the police line on Saturday morning after skipping summons on previous days.

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DIG Upendra Agarwal, who is heading the special investigation team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police probing the case, told reporters that Ashish has been taken into custody “on grounds of non-cooperation and evasive replies. He will be produced in court and sustained custodial interrogation will follow.” Quoting sources, NDTV reports that while Ashish had said that he was at a wrestling event around 4-5 km from the scene of the violence, the statements of police personnel posted at the event and the people there reveal that the minister’s son was missing between 2 and 4 pm.

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Ashish’s mobile tower location at the time also shows his location in and around the crime scene. Mishra, however, has told the police that he was in his rice mill at the time which is closer to the crime scene under the same tower.

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A First Information Report or FIR registered by Mishra’s aides against the farmers claims that his driver Hari Om was driving the Mahindra Thar that allegedly ran over the farmers. However, a video analysed by the police shows the driver was wearing a white shirt or kurta, while Hari Om was found wearing a yellow kurta when his body was brought to the hospital.