The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its disappointment over a status report filed by the Uttar Pradesh government on the October 3 violence that erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight people, including four farmers and a local journalist, were killed.
Stating that there was nothing in the status report other than the government saying that more witnesses had been examined in the case, the apex court said it will appoint a former judge of a high court from outside UP to monitor the investigation. The matter will be heard next on Friday
A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli were hearing the matter in which the apex court had on October 26 directed the Yogi Adityanath government to provide protection to witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018.
The government, meanwhile, informed the court that the local journalist, Raman Kashyap, was not killed by the farmers , but died after he was crushed by the offending vehicle involved in the incident.