Lucknow: A silent revolt is brewing in the Uttar Pradesh constabulary with a section of constables having launched an online campaign in support of the cop Prashant Chaudhary, an accused in the murder of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari. “Senior police officers are not supporting our brothers. Let us come together to ensure justice to our brothers Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Rana”, says a post on the social media which also seeks financial assistance so that the accused can fight their own cases.
The post carried bank account details of Prashant Chaudhary and his wife Rakhi Malik, also a constable, and requested people to contribute generously into the account. Within hours, a sum of Rs 5.28 lakh was deposited from various sources into the accused cop’s account. The campaign is being run by constables Devendra Kushwaha, Rohan Pal and Veer Singh Raju. The posts, however, were deleted on Monday afternoon which seems to have further angered the cops. However, the post have already been shared innumerable times.
“The media trial has obviously affected our seniors who have terminated the two police personnel without following the prescribed procedure. The action will not stand trial in court. Our colleagues were not even given a chance to explain the situation,” said a constable on condition of anonymity. Most of the cops involved in the campaign belong to the 2016 batch. Justifying the campaign in favour of the accused cops, he said that this had become a rule in the police force and the constables are promptly suspended whenever an incident takes place.
Vivek Tiwari was allegedly shot dead by two cops in the wee hours of Saturday morning when two cops tried to stop his vehicle but he did not stop his car. “It seems as if all the bad work is done by the constables and all good work is done by the officers. We have decided that enough is enough and we will not allow ourselves to become sacrificial goats. Hum ab bali ka bakra nahin banenge,” the cop said.
Sources confirmed that messages were being sent to constables in all 75 districts to join in the protests and collectively fight against injustice. A constable said that Prashant Chaudhary’s wife Rakhi Malik has been trying to lodge a cross FIR against Vivek Tiwari (deceased) who allegedly tried to run over her husband. Rakhi Malik also created a ruckus at the SSP office on Sunday night because she was not allowed to meet the SSP to present her husband’s point of view.
A retired DGP, when asked about the situation, said, “This is a danger signal and senior officials must address it before it become volatile. Resentment has been brewing since the past few years and the increasing number of suicides is proof of this. A revolt in the constabulary is the last thing that this state can afford.” Meanwhile, a senior police official said that they were apprised of the campaign and necessary action would be taken in the matter. “We are reviewing the post and action will be taken.”
