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The Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to provide safety to witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, in which eight persons were killed during a farmers' protest, including four farmers.

The Uttar Pradesh government, represented by senior advocate Harish Salve and Garima Prasad, was urged by a bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana to record the testimony of additional relevant witnesses before judicial magistrates under section 164 of the CrPC. 

“We direct the District judge concerned to assign the responsibility of recording evidence under section 164 of the CrPC to the nearest judicial magistrates available,” the bench stated.

The court directed Salve to communicate its concerns to forensic labs and experts in charge of preparing reports on the incident's technological evidence.

Meanwhile, the state administration has been ordered to provide a report on two complaints, one of which is related to the lynching of a journalist.

“The state is asked to file separate replies in the cases,” the bench stated, setting a November 8 hearing date for the plea.

The Supreme Court scolded the government on October 20 for allowing the investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence to become a "unending narrative," stating the court was getting the impression that the state police was dragging its steps, and also ordered the security of witnesses.