‘Will send gangsters where they belong!’ Slain DSP’s daughter says will give up lifelong dream, join police force like her father

Dy SP Devendra Kumar Mishra’s daughters, Vaishardi and Vaishnavi, with a relative. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)

Vaishnavi and Vaishardi, the two daughters of senior Uttar Pradesh police officer Devendra Kumar Mishra who was killed in an ambush during a raid at gangster Vikas Dubey’s residence, have demanded a CBI probe into the incident at Bikru village in Kanpur.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Vaishnavi said that she will give up her ‘lifelong dream’ of becoming a doctor and join the police like her father Devendra. She vowed to send gangsters like Vikas Dubey where they belong.

“I will send criminals like Vikas Dubey where they belong,” the B.Sc final-year student (21) said, her eyes red with grief and anger.

Vaishnavi’s younger sister Vaishardi (18), a class 12 student, said that she will qualify for the Civil Services to fulfil her father’s dream.

“Together, we will fulfil the dreams he had for his two children,” she said.

Vaishnavi said the entire department knew about her father’s bravery.

“He was involved in busting the Kalua gang. He started his career as a constable in the 1980s and after clearing the Sub-Inspector examination, reached the post of Deputy DP with out-of-turn promotions because of his good work. He was posted in districts like Unnao, Basti and Noida,” she said.

“Even at the age of 59, we could see his enthusiasm for the job,” Vaishardi said.

Vaishnavi said the last the family saw him was two days before the incident. He was posted in a corona-affected area, and used to meet us either in the lobby or the open space outside. There were times when he used to cry about how he could not meet us properly, she said.

On Saturday, the two daughters lit the pyre, as their mother Asha looked on.

Vaishardi said her father was against immorality and injustice, and that was the reason he joined the police.

“Little did we know that he would have to give his life for this, that too when he was just a few months from retirement. Every year, on Guru Purnima, we used to celebrate my birthday. Today is Guru Purnima, but he is not here… we don’t know how to live without him,” she said.

Their father Devendra served as the Deputy Superintendent of Police and was among 8 cops who were killed in the line of duty in a gunbattle with wanted criminal Vikas Dube and his henchmen in Kanpur last week.

Devendra, 59, and seven others had gone to Bikru village in Kanpur to arrest Vikas. But they were ambushed during the raid and were killed. The incident took place on Thursday night.

Vikas Dubey is missing since then. On Sunday, his ancestral house where the incident occurred was demolished by the authorities. He has around 60 cases registered against him. He had also won the election of village head and was also a Zila Panchayat member.

Devendra’s family lives in Swaroop Nagar area of Kanpur. On Sunday, his ashes were immersed in Ganga. His family suspected foul play and sought to know who tipped off Vikas Dubey about Devendra arriving to catch him and why was the power cut off to the village during the raid.

According to the family’s claim, Devendra had previously accused a subordinate officer of indiscipline and multiple irregularities. According to a report in The Indian Express, the officer in the question, Vinay Tiwari has been suspended. Vinay is the SO of Chaubeypur police station under which Bikru falls. He is being probed for his alleged links to Vikas Dubey.

Anant Deo, former SSP of Kanpur who is now DIG in the Special Task Force, said that Devendra had complained about Vinay’s behaviour.

“Such differences between seniors and juniors are common in almost every profession… I don’t think that had any direct connection to the incident,” he said.