KANPUR: Bikroo village in Kanpur Dehat does not need any introduction. One and a half years back, the village had hit the headlines due to the deeds of a dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey who had ambushed a police party killing eight cops including three sub-inspectors and a Deputy SP on the intervening night of July 2 and 3, 2020.
“Now neither Vikas Dubey is there nor his terror. For us ongoing elections are no less than a festival this time,” says Rakesh Pandey beaming with a smile of relief and pointing towards a group of children running with flags of different political parties in the village.
Three decades back, the emergence of gangster Dubey in Bikroo led the sun of democracy set in this nondescript village and adjoining ones as well. Dubey was killed by the UP police days after the massacre of cops in 2020.
The change in the air of Bikroo is palpable. “It is for the first time in three decades that we will be able to vote as per our own choice. Earlier, during the times of Vikas Dubey, the whole village would be forced to vote the candidate for the party whose flag used to flutter on Dubey’s house. Nobody could dare to flout his call,” says Virendra Dubey living in the first street as soon as one enters the village.
Rakesh Pandey, living close by, smiles and adds: “The country got freedom 75 years ago but Bikroo residents became free only in 2020.” He claims that the face of the village has changed. “Now people are discussing their choices and expressing their opinions freely. Earlier, party, which used to have the support of ‘Panditji’ (Vikas Dubey) could enter the village for the campaign,” adds Pandey.
Before 2020, Vikas Dubey would choose the candidate for them and make sure he was voted for on the basis of gun power, the locals say.
Bikroo falls in Kanpur Dehat but it votes in Bilhaur assembly constituency that falls in Kanpur Nagar district. Both Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat districts go to the polls in the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly election on February 20.
While this is the first assembly election without Vikas Dubey in 30 years, the village got a Dalit woman Madhu Kamal elected as its head during the panchayat polls in 2021.
“The villagers have no one’s fear now. Preparations are in full swing for assembly elections and villagers are full of zeal as they will be able to choose a candidate of their choice after a long time,” says Madhu who is not ready to get photographed.
Earlier, not only Bikroo but around two dozen adjoining villages used to vote following Dubey’s diktat.
Ramkishan Yadav, a milk vendor says he is a Samajwadi Party (SP) supporter but hasn’t made up his mind yet on whom to vote. “My vote will go to the one in favour of which way the wind blows,” says Yadav with mischief in his eyes adding that he won’t waste his vote on a losing candidate.
Similarly, Kallu, Sonu, Chandra Kishore and Arun, all in their early and mid-20s are happy that they will cast vote for their own candidate. “The candidates are coming to campaign in Bikroo after 25 to 30 years,” says Mohammad Aslam, a village elder whose family allegedly suffered at the hands of the gangster.
Almost the entire village is devoid of any poster or banner of political parties, but some houses have stickers pasted on their doors for the UP polls. The candidates and party workers go to the village seeking votes.
On asking about the issues, the villagers say they will think about it while casting votes. “For now we are happy that we are free to vote. Otherwise, everything used to be pre-decided for us. We did not have any say on issues related to politics,” says Satyendra Kushwaha, who runs a small shop.
He says he will vote for Yogi Adityanath who made the village free from the terror of Vikas Dubey.
OP Dubey, 75, sits near the erstwhile palatial house of Vikas Dubey. His son Praveen Dubey was among the four criminals involved in the ambush on a fateful night and was later killed in a police encounter. OP Dubey admits that Vikas Dubey had people in all parties and his diktat used to run supreme.
Whereas, Lalla Khan says he will support who will help save crops from stray cattle. “The cattle have been such a big problem. We have a fixed routine: go to the fields, keep an eye on cattle and guard the crops. We do it together,” he says.
“He (Vikas Dubey) is gone and so has trouble. Now Bikroo is free from problems,” says Ram Avatar, 67.