It was not an encounter: Yogi Adityanath on killing of Apple sales manager by police in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh said that Vivek Tiwari's killing was a case of murder and the accused policeman would be dismissed from duty.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the killing of Apple’s sales manager, Vivek Tiwari, by a policeman in Lucknow was not an encounter. Speaking to mediapersons after outrage by the family members of the deceased, a resident of Lucknow, the Chief Minister said that he would order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident if needed.

“It was not an encounter. An investigation will be conducted in this incident. If needed, we will order a CBI inquiry also into the incident, said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

This comes even as the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh said that it was a case of murder and the accused policeman would be dismissed from duty. The UP DGP, who was in Ghaziabad on Saturday, said, “This is a murder. The culprit will be dismissed by (Saturday) evening. We will not tolerate such incidents and strong action will be taken.”

Meanwhile, Lucknow Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani addressed a press conference, informing mediapersons that a special investigation team had been constituted to investigate the incident.

“A SIT has been formed under Superintendent of Police Crime. I have personally sent a request to District Magistrate for a magisterial inquiry into the incident,” said the senior police official.

The action by the state administration came after the relatives of the deceased targeted the government saying the police had no right to shoot. The wife of the deceased, Kalpana Tiwari, said, “The police had no right to shoot my husband. I want Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to meet me and talk to me.”

Policeman Prashant Chaudhary, who has been accused of killing Tiwari, has cited self defence to justify his act. He alleged that Tiwari tried to run over his motorcycle with his car thrice and hence he was compelled to open fire.

A case of murder has been registered against the policeman by the relatives of the deceased at the Gomti Nagar police station.

Vivek Tiwari was reportedly with a woman in his car when the incident took place. The woman has said that she is under no pressure to hide the truth, adding that she wanted the culprit to be punished.