Lucknow: Lucknow: An on-duty Uttar Pradesh policeman allegedly shot dead an assistant sales manager of a global tech company Apple 'in self-defence' on Friday night. The incident happened in Lucknow. The victim was identified as 38-year-old Vivek Tewari. The deceased's family has refused to cremate his body until the chief minister Yogi Adityanath gives them assurance that stringent action will be taken against the accused.
A day after Vivek Tiwari, an executive of global tech firm Apple, was shot dead by an on-duty policeman in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh ADG (Law & Order) Anand Kumar held a press conference on Saturday and said that it was a ‘sad incident’. He further said that a case of murder has been lodged under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code against the constable who had shot the victim.
Taking a note of the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister broke his silence and said that it was not an encounter and an investigation would be conducted. Adityanath also said that if needed, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry would be ordered to investigate the incident.
Moreover, Anand Kumar said that law has been violated in this case. The UP ADG also said that things could have been easily handled in other ways. “If the situation demanded firing of a bullet, it could have been fired at the car’s tyre, even then, it was not right to do so,” Kumar said, adding “This is a shameful incident for us.”
Talking to media, Kalanidhi Naithani, SSP Lucknow, on Saturday said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been formed under the Superintendent of Police (Crime). He also said that he had sent a personal request to the District Magistrate of Lucknow to order a magisterial enquiry into the shocking incident.
Tiwari was sitting in his car with his ex-colleague Sana Khan when he accidentally rammed a police patrol motorcycle. According to a report by IANS, the accused constable Prashant Kumar and his colleague Sandeep Kumar were arrested by the police. The accused was taken into custody after Sana’s complaint.
Meanwhile, the constable (Prashant) claimed that he fired in self-defence. He presumed that there were some criminals inside the car. The victim tried to flee after hitting the patrol bike which further escalated the police's doubt.
Reportedly, the incident took place around 1:30 am in Gomtinagar extension area, Lucknow. The victim was injured on the neck as the constable fired at the car’s windshield. Tiwari's wife Kalpana said, "My husband had called me around 1:30 am and told me he will come home after dropping his colleague as there was a launch party of a new phone."
In the meanwhile, Tiwari’s kin alleged that it was a clear case of cold-blooded murder. His uncle, Tilakraj Tiwari, who had served as a police inspector with UP police, said that a person was never shot in the neck over mere suspicion. He further blamed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government for the lawlessness in the state.
Addressing media, Devendra Singh Negi, Director, Lohia Hospital, where the victim Vivek Tiwari was brought for treatment around 9 am after he was shot at, said that the deceased had a bullet injury near his left ear when he was admitted to the hospital.
He further clarified that the two police personnel (who were directly involved in the incident) had come to Lohia Hospital at around 9 am. Subsequently, they were inspected by a doctor and their X-ray reports are awaited.
The Director General of police OP Singh told the national daily that the initial probe suggested that constable Prashant acted wrongly. Adding to this, the police have lodged a murder complaint and promised that a fair investigation will be done.
Also, the vehicle rammed into the pillar of a bridge. However, more such details of the case are awaited. The deceased is survived by his wife and two daughters.
