LUCKNOW: An assistant sales manager of a multinational company was shot dead by a police constable early on Saturday after he allegedly tried to drive away in his SUV despite being asked to stop. Vivek Tewari, 38, was in the SUV with a former colleague, Sana Khan, when the incident took place in the posh Gomti Nagar area here around 1.30 am, the police said.
Although there were conflicting claims over the shooting, constable Prashant Kumar and his colleague Sandeep Kumar, who was also present during the incident, have been arrested and a case registered against them for murder. The police admitted that “excessive force” was used, and both have been sacked.
The post-mortem report said Vivek sustained a gunshot in his chin and may have died because of excessive loss of blood. “The viscera of the victim has been preserved for further investigation,” Additional Director General of Police (law & order) Anand Kumar said, adding a thorough probe into the incident was being conducted.
Sources said Vivek was returning home after an office event when he was shot. He was supposed to drop Sana at her residence, also situated in Gomti Nagar.
SIT probing murder, CBI if need be: Yogi
Prashant Kumar told reporters he was on patrol duty with his colleague when he noticed a stationary SUV. “The lights were off and when we approached the vehicle it suddenly reversed, hit our motorcycle and tried to drive away.”Lucknow SSP Kalanidhi Naithani claimed the constable fired in self-defence, believing that some criminal was in the car.
Sana, however, contested the constable’s version. She said the vehicle was moving slowly and was not stationary. “When the policemen approached us Vivek sir tried to speed up because the road was deserted and he may have thought it is not safe to stop with a woman in the vehicle.”“While trying to negotiate the vehicle hit the police motorcycle,” she added.After Vivek got shot, Sana looked around for the cops, but they were elusive, she told officials.
Shame for us, says ADGP
“It’s a shameful incident for us... The post mortem report establishes a bullet injury on the left side of the chin, said Addl Director General of Police Anand Kumar