Lucknow/Gorakhpur: In an incident that has reinforced the image of trigger happy cops enforcing the law in BJP-run Uttar Pradesh, a 38-year-old techie was shot dead early Saturday morning by a policeman when he allegedly refused to stop his car for checking in Lucknow’s posh Gomti Nagar neighbourhood, police said.
Two constables were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by Apple executive Vivek Tiwari's colleague Sana Khan, who was travelling with him.
The incident took place around 1.30.a.m when Mr. Tiwari was returning home with colleague Ms Khan after the launch of iPhone X Plus in the state capital.
The post mortem of the techie confirmed that he died due to a bullet injury to the head. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
The two constables involved in the incident, Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Kumar, have been arrested and sent to jail while proceedings for their termination have also begun.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Gorakhpur on Saturday, said that the incident was not an encounter but he was ready to recommend a CBI inquiry if needed.
According to one of the accused cops, they signaled the techie to stop the car for a routine check but he tried to speed away and rammed into the policeman's motorbike parked nearby and then hit a pillar. He claimed that the deceased also tried to mow him down after which he opened fire in self defence.
However, co-passenger Sana Khan, who was in the car, told reporters that "Sir (Vivek Tiwari) did not stop the car because the area is completely deserted at night. The cops fired at him from the front."
The bullet hit Tiwari in the neck and got embedded in the head.
After the incident, Vivek Tiwari was rushed to Lohia Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.
The Tiwari family has refused to cremate Apple techie Vivek Tiwari’s body until they receive assurances from chief minister Yogi Adityanath that justice will be done. The wife of the deceased has sought a compensation of '1crore and a job for herself.
“My husband had called me around 1:30 am and told me he will come home after dropping his colleague as there was a launch party of a new phone. The police are now questioning my husband’s character,” Kalpana, wife of the deceased said.
A Congress delegation reached the home of the deceased and party spokesman Anshu Awasthi said, “We demand strict action against the culprits and chief minister Yogi Adityanath should step forward and apologize to the family and the people of the state and accept the failure of his police.”
Samajwadi Party spokesman Anurag Bhadauria said that “The state police and the government have failed in their duty. This is a case of cold blooded murder and the chief minister cannot escape his responsibility”.
