Assassination attempt made on witness to anti-#FarmersProtest terror attack

A witness to a terrorist attack aimed at attendees of a #FarmersProtest demonstration in Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh- UP, India) had an attempt made on his life this week.

On the evening of 31st May, President of the UP District of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU- a farmers union group) Dilbagh Singh was returning home in the Gola Kotwali area of Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) when his vehicle was approached by two masked gunmen on a motorbike. After failing to open the doors of the vehicle, they fired two shots at Singh through the window, both of which missed.

Dilbagh is a key witness in the Lakhimpur Kheri terror attack in October 2021, which saw Ashish “Monu” Mishra – son of BJP Home Affairs Minister Ajay Mishra – drive a jeep directly through a crowd of peaceful protesters attending a #FarmersProtest demonstration, resulting in nine deaths. Four of those deaths were of Sikh men, leading to many claims that the attack was carried out with the belief that Mishra could get away with it considering it was minorities that suffered most. Witnesses also claim they saw Mishra firing a gun at others after his driving rampage.

Video footage of the incident went viral. Yet despite dozens of witnesses attesting to Ashish Mishra’s terror attack, police action against him has been slowly enacted. Ashish was arrested one month after the attack and has since been imprisoned pending trial. A Supreme Court investigation team has since stated they found the attack by Mishra was “pre-planned”. The process of convicting Ashish Mishra for the terrorist massacre dozens of witnesses saw him carry out is ongoing. It is important to note, it is well known that government and other Indian elite types are often given incredibly cushy rides through prison, which allow them inconceivable levels of freedom whilst apparently incarcerated.

The assassination attempt occurred when Dilbagh Singh’s attackers somehow punctured a tire on Singh’s car, forcing him to stop. The attack was made on a day Singh had allowed his State provided security some time off, suggesting the attackers had inside knowledge about his movements. Singh said he ducked and hid under his seat when he saw one of the attackers produce a gun, whilst also saying he believes the vehicle’s darkened windows helped him survive the assassination attempt.

UP Police Chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the state government over the incident, saying “A shameful example of the anti-farmer attitude of the Chief Minister (controversial Hindu extremist Yogi Adityanath) has just been seen in Lakhimpur Kheri where two bikers opened fire on the vehicle of Dilbag Singh, district president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union”

“Dilbag Singh is also a witness to the incident that took place on October 3, 2021, when the farmers were crushed under a Jeep by the son of a Union minister. He had a narrow escape. The attackers wanted to kill him. Is this the BJP government’s zero-tolerance (towards crime)?”.

The actions of the UP Police Chief and the Supreme Court investigation, both of which have helped highlight the terrorist nature of the BJP (Narendra Modi’s in-power right-wing nationalist political party) affiliated attack, are believed to be inspired by the large support for farmer union groups among the people of India, much of whom recognise that largely they are trying to work against food exploitation by India’s elite.

However, in an incredulous move of propaganda after the initial reaction from a Police Chief, Indian media outlets have run a story with the latest statement from local police saying individuals picked out by Dilbagh Singh as the attackers said the union representative asked them to attack him so he could get a firearms licence. The fact that Singh already has state funded armed security due to his union role casts doubt on this claim, along with the fact that if Dilbagh Singh did ask them to attack him, then getting them arrested too would be against his own interests.

Read more on the Lakhimpur Kheri anti-#FarmersProtest terror attack, including references to everything mentioned above:
Nine dead after Indian Minister’s son carries out #FarmersProtest terror attack | SikhPA

Terror attack on #FarmersProtest “pre-planned” | SikhPA