A police officer who was among the eight policemen killed in the encounter in Kanpur’s Bikru village had allegedly alerted the district police chief that the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chaubeypur, Vinay Tiwari, who was suspended after the incident, had been protecting the main accused Vikas Dubey, it emerged on Monday.
Circle Officer (CO) Bilhaur Devendra Mishra had in March written to then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-Kanpur and complained about the SHO saying that he had had extortion charges filed against Dubey removed from an FIR.
Mr. Mishra had accused Tiwari of being sympathetic to Dubey and displaying “doubtful integrity” by not taking action against the criminal.
“If the SHO does not change his ways, a serious incident could take place,” the CO had warned.
The report by the CO was sent against the background of an FIR lodged against Dubey on March 13 in which he was accused of extortion, assault, rioting and criminal intimidation. However, the section under extortion was dropped from the charges by the investigating officer on the instructions of the SHO, the CO wrote.
CO Mishra had also mentioned that Tiwari often visited Dubey and was in regular touch with him. Tiwari was suspended after allegations surfaced that he had been providing help to Dubey on the day of the encounter; his exact role is still under investigation.
Inspector General of Police-Kanpur Mohit Agarwal said the files of the report were being summoned from the SSP’s office to check what action had been taken by the then SSP.
Mr. Agarwal said the report, which came to his notice through media, was being verified, and that the allegations were “serious”.
“We will first understand the entire episode and then take action,” said the officer.