LUCKNOW: A day after an executive working for Apple was shot dead by a policeman here, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday deflected opposition charges of staging an encounter, saying “such criminal offences are not acceptable.”
Prashant Chowdhury shot dead Vivek Tiwari (38) while he was dropping his former colleague Sana Khan home in his SUV after an event. His body was cremated on Sunday.
The government on Sunday reached out to Vivek’s wife, promising her a job and a compensation of Rs 25 lakh. While an FIR has already been filed based on Sana’s version, a second FIR would be registered on the family’s complaint. Police protection, too, would be given to the family. A crime branch team has been formed to check CCTV footage at the site of the shooting.
While DGP O P Singh apologised to the family, Delhi Chief MInister Arvind Kejriwal injected a communal angle saying the BJP does not even protect the interests of Hindus, which triggered a furore.
The initial FIR was registered based on a complaint by Sana, who was with Tiwari in his vehicle when he was shot by two police constables late on Friday night. “This is a serious incident. Stringent action will be taken. To ensure that a similar incident does not occur again, we have given strict instructions to all officers,” ADG Kirshna told the media.
On recommending a CBI probe, the ADG said it would be done if the family made the demand. “A SIT under Lucknow IG Sujeet Pandey is conducting a thorough probe. It will be carried forward on the basis of fresh FIR that will be lodged by the family,” he said.
According to Lucknow District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma, the government has accepted all the demands of the family. Earlier, the family had refused to carry out last rites on Saturday seeking the direct intervention of the CM, a CBI inquiry, a job for the widow and a financial compensation of `1 crore. However, after cremation on Sunday, Vivek’s wife Kalpana said it is not necessary that the CBI conducts the probe.
“Whichever agency carries it out, it should be fair and thorough.”
Meanwhile, the main accused Prashant claimed the car was parked with its head lights switched off. “The driver tried to run me over thrice when I asked the occupants in the vehicle to come out. I fired in self defence.” Later, he changed his statement saying he pulled out his pistol to threaten Tiwari but it went off accidentally.
In the National Capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal added a communal twist to the unfortunate episode, saying the BJP does not protect even the interests of Hindus. ”Vivek Tiwari was a Hindu. Then, why they killed him? The BJP is not a well-wisher of Hindus. They (BJP) will not even think for two minutes if they will have to kill all Hindus to grab power,” said Kejriwal.