The Supreme Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government why are very few witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case when hundreds of farmers were present at the rally? It also directed the UP government to grant protection to the witnesses in the case. The court made the observation while holding a suo motu hearing on the matter.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for UP government, told Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana-led bench that out of 68 witnesses, statements of 30 witnesses have been recorded under and 23 persons claim to be eyewitnesses of the incident.

The court then said that there were hundreds of farmers in the rally and asked why only 23 eyewitnesses are there. It asked the UP government to identify more witnesses.

“There was a crowd of 4,000-5,000 persons who are all local people and even post-incident most of have been agitating. This is what has been reported. Then, the identification of these people should not be a problem,” the bench said.

The state government, in its reply, said people have seen the car and the people who were inside the car.

The court then told UP government that if the eyewitness is more credible than a bystander then it is best to have first-hand information.

The bench further ordered protection of witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri case and directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to expedite recording of eyewitnesses' statements before a judicial magistrate.

The Supreme Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government why are very few witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case when hundreds of farmers were present at the rally? It also directed the UP government to grant protection to the witnesses in the case. The court made the observation while holding a suo motu hearing on the matter.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for UP government, told Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana-led bench that out of 68 witnesses, statements of 30 witnesses have been recorded under and 23 persons claim to be eyewitnesses of the incident.

The court then said that there were hundreds of farmers in the rally and asked why only 23 eyewitnesses are there. It asked the UP government to identify more witnesses.

“There was a crowd of 4,000-5,000 persons who are all local people and even post-incident most of have been agitating. This is what has been reported. Then, the identification of these people should not be a problem,” the bench said.

The state government, in its reply, said people have seen the car and the people who were inside the car.

The court then told UP government that if the eyewitness is more credible than a bystander then it is best to have first-hand information.

The bench further ordered protection of witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri case and directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to expedite recording of eyewitnesses' statements before a judicial magistrate.