On Farmers' Killing, UP's Probe Panel Ahead Of Supreme Court Hearing Today

A single-member commission will be headed by retired High Court Judge Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, the order signed by UP Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said. The commission has been asked to complete its inquiry within two months.

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana is currently hearing the matter. The court decided to take up the case amid a growing outcry over UP Police's handling of the investigation, media reports and a letter written to the Chief Justice by two lawyers from the state. The letter had called for a CBI probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The matter was supposed to be listed as public interest litigation (PIL), but it became suo motu (action taken by a court of its own accord), Chief Justice Ramana said. "We had directed the Supreme Court registry to list this matter as a PIL. But due to miscommunication, it became suo motu. Inform both the lawyers to be present. Matter to be listed as PIL," he said.

On Wednesday, Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met two families who had lost loved ones in the incident. "Families are not satisfied with the post mortem reports. They want action against the culprit. They need justice. Everyone knows who is the accused," Mr Gandhi said.

Four of the eight were killed when a car belonging to Ashish Misra (son of Union Minister of State for Home, Ajay Mishra) allegedly ran over them, protest leaders said. The other four were two BJP workers, a driver of Mr Mishra and a journalist working for a private television channel. Four days after being named in a police complaint, Ashish Misra was yet to be arrested.

The police have said they were investigating the crash and registered a case against 13 people. Ashish Mishra's father has ruled out resigning; yesteday he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Asked if the police was under pressure, the Additional Director General of the state police, Prashant Kumar, told NDTV, "What pressure? FIR registered, families are satisfied, court too... Time will tell how we act. We will nail the culprit, book them, produce them before the court. We are aware world is looking at us".

Ajay Mishra and his son have denied that they were present on the spot. Ajay Mishra, though, has admitted that the vehicle belongs to them. The vehicle lost control and hit the farmers after they threw stones at the car and attacked it with sticks and sword, he alleged. Ashish Mishra has also denied being present and remains at large.

A longer and better quality video appears to contest claims the minister's claim that their Mahindra Thar was under attack. The video shows no stones or sticks being thrown at the SUV as the vehicle driving at great speed ploughed into a group of farmers marching in front of the SUV, with their backs to it. NDTV cannot verify the authenticity of the video or the sequence of events that led to it.

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a financial compensation of ₹ 45 lakh to the families of those killed. "The affected families will certainly get justice, the government had ordered an investigation into the case. The affected families have accepted the financial assistance provided to them by the government," Union minister Kaushal Kishore was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Sunday's violence was the bloodiest yet in the prolonged farmers' protest against the Centre's new agri laws that began last year.