Facing flak from different quarters over Saturday’s killing of an Apple executive by a policeman in the state capital, BJP ruled state Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday promised an “impartial” probe into the matter and stern action against the guilty.
“We have acted swiftly in the matter a thorough and impartial investigation will be conducted and the guilty will be sternly punished,” Adityanath told reporters in Saharanpur.
He rejected demands for his resignation and said that the government would not “shield” the guilty.
The chief minister also said that the government would extend all possible help to the bereaved family. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family and a job to Tiwari’s wife.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya visited the family on Sunday morning.The special investigation team (SIT), formed to probe the killing, on Sunday visited the spot and collected evidence, police sources here said.
Vivek Tiwari, who was an executive with Apple, was shot dead by a policeman early on Saturday morning in the posh Gomti Nagar extension area in Lucknow while he was on the way to drop one of his female colleagues home.
Two constables, including Prashant Chaudhary, who had opened fire at Tiwari, were dismissed from service, and arrested after being booked for murder.
The policeman fired at the deceased reportedly after he failed to stop his car when the policemen asked him to stop the car.
Constable Prashant Chaudhary noticed “suspicious activity” and opened fire when the man allegedly tried to speed away. A bullet pierced the windscreen as the car rammed into a pillar, police said.
Sana Khan told reporters that the constables came from the front on their motorcycle, and tried to force Tiwari to stop.
“Sir did not stop the car and when we tried to move ahead, it hit the motorcycle,” she said. But the constables had got down by then, she added, saying one of them then opened fire.
Tiwari is survived by his wife kalpana and two children. Kalpana Tiwari said she had talked on Friday night to her husband who told her that he would be home after dropping Sana Khan home.
Later, many of her calls went unanswered, she told reporters. Then someone who claimed he was a staff member at Lohia hospital answered and said her husband was injured in an accident, she said.
