Lakhimpur: Ashish Misra's 'Friend' Ankit Das Files Surrender Application

Lakhimpur Kheri: People take a look at the overturned SUV which was destroyed in Sunday's incidents during farmers protest, at Tikonia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district, on Monday, 4 October.

Photo: PTI / Nand Kumar

The advocate of Ankit Das, whose car was a part of the convoy that ran over the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on 3 October, on Tuesday, 12 October, filed a surrender application in the Chief Judicial Magistrate court, ANI reported, adding that the court will now be asking for a report from the concerned police station.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, the Lakhimpur Kheri police had arrested Shekhar Bharti, the driver of Ankit Das' car.

On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident had conducted raids to trace Ankit Das for questioning in the case, reported The Indian Express. Ankit Das is the relative of a former Congress MP, the late Akhilesh Das.

A new video related to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident surfaced on 6 October, where a policeman was seen interrogating a man after Union MoS Ajay Misra Teni's son, Ashish Misra, allegedly ran his car (Mahindra Thar) over the protesting farmers on Sunday. At least nine people, including four farmers, were killed in the unrest.

In the video, the policeman questioned the man who claimed to have been sitting in the second car (Toyota Fortuner) that had five people in it.

The man from Lucknow's Charbagh told the car number and then claimed that the Toyota Fortuner belonged to Ankit Das. He responded to questions by the police, saying that Ankit Das had also come.

Who is Ankit Das?

Ankit Das was said to be politically active in Lakhimpur, along with Union Minister's son Ashish Misra, and was reported to be close to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minister Ajay Misra.

Moreover, on the arrival of Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya on 3 October, posters with photos of Ashish Misra and Ankit Das were put up at various places in Lakhimpur, Aaj Tak had reported.

A look at Das' Facebook profile also shows that he appears to be close to Ashish Misra.

(With inputs from ANI)