Three-time former MLA killed in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri, family accuses cops of colluding with attackers

In a sensational killing in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri, three-time former MLA Nirvendra Kumar Mishra was brutally murdered while his son was critically injured. The two were allegedly attacked over an old land dispute early on Sunday morning.

Reports said that armed with sticks and rods, over four dozen goons allegedly carried out the crime near the Tricolia Padhua bus station. Mishra's family members said that the men came with weapons to grab the land, and the former MLA and his son Sanjeev Mishra were attacked upon resisting the same. Mishra's son sustained injuries in the incident and is now being treated at a hospital. The land dispute matter is reportedly also being heard in court.

After the incident, Mishra and his son Sanjeev were rushed to the hospital, where the former MLA was declared dead. Sanjeev's condition remains critical. Soon after Mishra's death, his supporters gathered in huge numbers and started a protest by keeping his dead body on the road near Trikolia bus station.

Mishra was in a dispute with one Sameer Gupta and one Radheshyam Gupta - who are residents of Pallia - over the land in question. The disputed land was in Sameer's name and Mishra was allegedly opposing its possession. A case under section 107/116 had been previously registered against Mishra and his son.

Mishra's family members have alleged that UP police is in cahoots with the alleged murderers. Mishra's son Sanjiv said that after his father collapsed, the locals had overpowered & caught some of the accused but the police, which came in later, allowed them to go scot free. The former MLAs family has alleged direct collusion of the local police with the accused. In fact, the family is demanding the arrest of the local DSP Kuldeep Kukreti for siding with the accused and orchestrating Mishra's murder.

75-year-old Nirvendra Kumar Munna had been elected from the Nighasan Assembly as an independent legislator in 1989 and 1991 and in 1993 on the Samajwadi Party ticket.

“There was a dispute over a piece of land between the two sides due to which former MLA Nirvendra Mishra entered into an altercation, in the course of which he fell on the ground," said a senior police official. "He was rushed to a Community Health Centre in Pallia, and was later taken to another hospital where he was pronounced dead," he addded. They said that there were no injury marks found on his body till then. "Now, we are going to the spot and further action will be taken based on our investigation,' the police official said.

Laxmi Singh, IG zone, said that the former MLA's body did not bear any injury marks; therefore it cannot be established if he was beaten to death. The post mortem report and ensuing police investigation will point out as to what exactly caused Nirvendra Mishra's death, he said.