Apple Techie Shot Dead By UP Police For Failing To Stop Car, Adityanath Says Not An Encounter

 A 38-year-old man was shot dead early Saturday morning by a policeman in Uttar Pradesh 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 .

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said a CBI inquiry will be recommended if needed.

Hours after the 1.30 a.m. shooting, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police O P Singh called it a criminal act and said the two constables will dismissed from service.

Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Minister Dharampal Singh said Saturday only "real criminals" were shot dead in encounters during the term of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Singh comments came after he was repeatedly asked by reporters in Mathura over the gunning down of 38-year-old Vivek Tiwari early in the morning by a policeman when the Apple area manager allegedly refused to stop his car for checking in Lucknow's posh Gomti Nagar area.

"Everyone will get justice... There will be no politics of appeasement. Those who commit mistakes will be punished," the minister said.

He said only those who are actual "criminals" have been shot dead in police encounters and the state government had been very cautious on this issue.

Saying that "goonda raj" and "mafia raj" prevailed during the previous governments in the state, Singh said the country was "fortunate" to have Narendra Modi as prime minister and Adityanath as UP chief minister.

Under Adityanath's rule, Singh asserted injustice would not be done to anyone and the guilty would not be spared.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani said the policemen on patrol duty had asked Tiwari to stop the SUV, which had hit their motorcycle and injured them.

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.

The SSP had said the actual cause of death, whether it was bullet injuries or injuries suffered by the Tiwari when the car hit the pillar, will be known only after a post-mortem.

The autopsy report later confirmed the death was caused by gunshot injuries.

The constable, however, said he opened fire in self-defence when Tiwari tried to run over him, according to police.

A special investigation team has been formed to investigate the shooting. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered, officials said.

Yogi Adityanath said, “This was not an encounter.”

“The guilty will not be spared and if needed a CBI inquiry will be held,” he told reporters in Gorakhpur.

Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Anand Kumar said the incident was unfortunate. "Prima facie it is a murder case,” he added.

“The principle of law is clear that the right of self-defence cannot exceed the perceived threat," the ADG said.

He said adequate security has been provided for Sana Khan, on whose statement the FIR was based.

Tiwari is survived by his wife and two children.

(PTI)