Deaths of journalist and Amethi woman bring focus back on UP police ‘inaction’

LUCKNOW: Even as the dust kicked up by Vikas Dubey’s encounter killing is yet to settle down, two people lost their lives in separate incidents in UP highlighting once again the “inaction of the police and its collusion with the gangsters” of the state.
On Wednesday, a Ghaziabad-based journalist, who was shot at by local goons on Monday, passed away, while a woman from Amethi, who tried to self-immolate three days back in front of the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow to invite attention to her unattended land dispute plea, died of 90% burns.

The two incidents, especially the killing of journalist Vikram Joshi has, once again, evoked scathing criticism from the opposition parties on the state’s law and order situation, even as the issue related to the attack of eight policemen by gangster Vikas Dubey and questions on his encounter by the top court, still simmers.

Joshi was shot at on Monday allegedly by local goons, Chhotu and Ravi, who along with two others, had molested his 17-year old niece. A complaint filed by Joshi on July 16 had remained unheeded and no FIR was filed until late Monday night.

Following this, on Monday night, a group of nine, including Ravi and Chhotu, shot at Joshi while he was riding a bike with his two daughters as pillion. The nine have been arrested by the Ghaziabad police for attempt to murder and were found to possess illegal weapons.

The station incharge was suspended after Joshi’s kin alleged delay in action by the local police, SSP, Ghaziabad, Kalanidhi Naithani, said in a statement. Nathani told ET that an investigation is still on to find out the source of the illegal weapons which included country-made rifles.

In another shocking incident that took place on Saturday, a mother-daughter duo set themselves on fire in front of the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow after they alleged police inaction in relation to a land dispute case in Amethi.

The mother, who suffered 90% burns, died on Wednesday. Sujeet Pandey, Lucknow police commissioner, had stated that the women were instigated by an AIMIM leader Kadir Khan for attempting immolation. He has been arrested, along with two others. A former Congress leader Anoop Patel was also said to have played a role.