Indian official's son faces murder investigation over deadly attack on protesting farmers
CBSN
New Delhi — Indian police on Thursday said they had launched a murder investigation into a government minister's son, who has been accused of planning a deadly vehicle attack on protesting farmers. Eight people, including four farmers, were left dead on Sunday after an SUV and other vehicles slammed into the protesters on a road in Uttar Pradesh state's Lakhimpur Kheri district.
Under mounting pressure from farmers protest groups and opposition politicians, Uttar Pradesh police confirmed that they had registered an FIR (First Information Report) for murder against Ashish Mishra. An FIR indicates the beginning of a formal police investigation, but no charges have been formally filed and Mishra was not taken into custody. His father Ajay Mishra, a junior government minister, is also named in the FIR but not on any specific charges.
Police announced the FIR as India's top court demanded the Uttar Pradesh state government explain why it had failed, after four days, to make any arrests over the incident.
