A car belonging to the wife of a BJP MLA from Lakhimpur Kheri ran over and killed two farmers on Monday morning, six months after local MP and Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s car had mowed down four farmers and a journalist.
Driver Munendra Singh was the lone occupant of the speeding Scorpio, registered in the name of Neelam Verma, wife of Lakhimpur MLA Yogesh Verma, eyewitnesses and police said. An eyewitness who declined to be named said the SUV had “Vidhayak” (MLA) written on top of its windscreen.
The SUV hit the motorbike of Ravi Kumar, 20, and cousin Sumit Kumar, 25, from behind on the Kheri-Bahraich highway and then crushed them under its wheels, the eyewitness said.
The police said they had arrested Munendra and registered a case of rash driving, a bailable offence that entails a maximum punishment of six months in jail and a Rs 1,000 fine.
On October 3 last year, a Thar jeep belonging to Teni had crushed to death five people after ploughing into farmers protesting against the minister. Teni’s son Ashis, alleged to be in the vehicle, was arrested on murder charges.
Verma had openly supported Teni and Ashis, saying they were innocent, at a time other BJP MLAs from Lakhimpur Kheri and adjoining districts were avoiding comment on the subject for fear of losing farmers’ votes.
On Monday, Verma refused to meet reporters at his home in Lakhimpur Kheri or to comment on the road deaths.
“The MLA was not in the SUV when the incident took place,” Arun Singh, additional superintendent of police, Lakhimpur Kheri, told reporters. “We have seized the SUV and taken Munendra into custody. An inquiry is on.”
Eyewitnesses said the SUV hit Ravi’s motorcycle at high speed. Sumit was riding pillion. “The youths were crushed under the wheels of the black Scorpio,” an eyewitness said.
A Keeratpur resident said: “Ravi and Sumit were returning from a wedding held on Sunday night at Mahmadpur, 60km from here. We have heard that the MLA’s driver is known for rash driving.”
Chandra Shekhar Singh, inspector in charge of the area, acknowledged: “The SUV was travelling at high speed.”
Lawyers said the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder – where conviction can bring a jail term of 10 years or even a life sentence — can be invoked if the driver was negligent and broke traffic rules. Chandra Shekhar said only an investigation could establish this.