It is like a parasite that gnaws its soul every moment. And while he’s sleeping, it’s a recurrent nightmare – bloody memories of some chaotic moments that turned the world upside down for Rajdeep Singh, just 15 years old. That October morning, Rajdeep saw his 35-year-old father Daljit Singh run over by an SUV during a protest march against three central agricultural laws in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. In a chilling detail, Rajdeep recounts his failed attempts to get his father out of the way of the vehicle, and then two more. Farmer died in the arms of his son, one of eight people killed that day, October 3, 2021. Four of them were crushed by a convoy of three SUVs; One of them was allegedly driven by Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra, who has since been arrested.
Like Rajdeep, the bloody events of that day – four others, including a journalist, were reportedly killed in retaliation by protesting farmers – left many others stunned with shock and pain. Nearly a month after the incident, mourning has turned to anger, as families who have lost loved ones are demanding justice for the dead and punishment to the guilty. Some are questioning the impartiality of the police investigation, which had also come under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. Ashish Mishra denies any role in the deaths, and claims that he was elsewhere at the time of the incident.
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