Vikas Dubey killed in police encounter: Opposition slams Adityanath govt, raises criminal-politico-police nexus

Opposition leaders on Friday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey and raised questions about a possible link between criminals, top politicians and the police.

Police said Dubey was killed in an encounter after a vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident in Bhauti area and he tried to escape.

Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said. But Opposition has raised questions on the police narrative.

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, who was among the first to react, claimed that it was “an effort to save the government” although he did not directly refer to the event.

दरअसल ये कार नहीं पलटी है, राज़ खुलने से सरकार पलटने से बचाई गयी है.

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 10, 2020

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh took a far more direct tack. Slamming the Uttar Pradesh government, Singh said the truth about Dubey’s links with politicos, the police and other government officials will now “never be exposed.”

जिसका शक था वह हो गया। विकास दुबे का किन किन राजनैतिक लोगों से, पुलिस व अन्य शासकीय अधिकारियों से उसका संपर्क था, अब उजागर नहीं हो पाएगा। पिछले 3-4 दिनों में विकास दुबे के 2 अन्य साथियों का भी एनकाउंटर हुआ है लेकिन तीनों एनकाउंटर का पैटर्न एक समान क्यों है?

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) July 10, 2020

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, backing up Singh’s assertion, said that the “culprit has been finished” but asked about what would happened to those who protected him:

अपराधी का अंत हो गया, अपराध और उसको सरंक्षण देने वाले लोगों का क्या?

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 10, 2020

Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, in a series of tweets, said the encounter had ensured that the gangster didn’t reveal his nexus with top politicians.

Vikas Dubey killed 8 UP police&escaped. He roamed 4 States in next 5 days, then surrendered publicly in Ujjain temple to avoid being 'encountered'. After UP police got hold of him, their car carrying him overturns&he is 'encountered'! So he doesn't reveal nexus with top Politicos

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Bhushan, claiming that he’d predicted this would happen to “protect top police officers and politicos who’d protected” Dubey,  slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

I had predicted this! After being taken hold of by UP Police, the car carrying Dubey overturns & he is 'encountered'! Obviously to protect top police officers & politicos who had used him&protected him thus far. This is the 'Vikas' that Yogi & Modi have delivered! https://t.co/fAJthsD6g6

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Calling this the “most blatant case of extrajudicial killing”, Bhushan claimed there would be “no rule of law left” if the Supreme Court did not take Suo Moto cognisance of this “obvious crime.”

This is the most blatant case of extra judicial killing. Dubey was a gangster terrorist who may have deserved to die. But UP police have killed him to shut his mouth. If the SC does not take Suo Moto cognizance of this obvious crime, it means there is no rule of law left in India https://t.co/bPRfKEEyCr

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the timeline of the Kanpur incident while Omar Abdullah, hinting at a nexus between criminals and top politicians, said “dead men tell no tales”.

Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said, “Law has taken its course. It could be a matter of regret and disappointment for those who raised questions on Dubey’s arrest on Thursday and death today. MP Police did its job, it arrested and handed him over to UP Police.”

The father of constable Jitendra Pal Singh, who lost his life in an encounter at Bikru village in Kanpur last Friday, said he was proud of the Uttar Pradesh Police for “bringing solace to his soul.”

Dubey was arrested in Ujjain on Thursday after a week-long manhunt.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Dinesh Kumar P said that the accident occurred in the morning when it was raining heavily and the police vehicle overturned near Kanpur.

Eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops shortly after midnight on 3 July.