Eight UP policemen killed in raid on history-sheeter Vikas Dubey's Kanpur hideout; Yogi Adityanath seeks report

At least eight Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed after they were fired upon during a raid in Kanpur, according to several media reports. The incident occurred when the police attempted to arrest Vikas Dubey, a history-sheeter facing 60 criminal cases, in Dikru village under Chaubeypur Police Station on the intervening night of 2 and 3 July, PTI reported.  As the police team was about to reach Dubey’s hideout, a hail of bullets rained down on them from a building rooftop, officials told PTI. As per  India Today, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Circle Officer Bilhor Devendra Mishra, Station Officer Shivrajpur Mahesh Yadav, one sub-inspector and five constables lost their lives. Over a dozen other personnel were injured, sources told India Today. Uttar Pradesh director general of police H C Awasthi told PTI Dubey might have gotten an inkling of the impending raid. As per a report in Hindustan Times, as the police team approached they found the passage to the area blocked by a heavy earthmover. A case of attempt to murder had been filed against Dubey by one Rahul Tiwari, as per the newspaper. Dubey was also accused of killing Santosh Shukla — a minister in BJP’s Rajnath Singh government at the time — in 2001 inside the Shivli Police Station. Dubey, who is in his 40s, was also named in the murder of Siddheshwar Pandey, the principal and assistant manager of Tarachand Inter College, in 2000, as per Hindustan Times.

Dubey, who is in his 40s, was also named in the murder of Siddheshwar Pandey, the principal and assistant manager of Tarachand Inter College, in 2000. He was even elected as a member of the nagar panchayat, as per the newspaper.

Senior superintendent of police and the inspector general are at the spot and forensics teams are examining the area, as per India Today. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has spoken to the additional chief secretary, home and director-general of police, sought a report in the matter and demanded strict action. With inputs from PTI