Page 40 - 31OCT2018E

Vivek Tiwari murder case sends

shockwaves to Lucknowites

In a twist, arrest of two UP constables in the killing of Vivek Tiwari, an Apple executive, led to
vehement outrage among men in uniform who lambasted senior officials for not protecting
their own men, writes kulsum mustafa

t is indeed a bizarre case which has their behavior. different police stations in the city-Naka,
sent shock waves among not just A red-faced police chief OP Singh Gudamba and Aliganj were suspended,
Lucknowites but the whole coun- had a hard time explaining to the media three station house in-charges were
try. In fact, there are two separate about not just the total lawlessness in removed and several sent to line. These
I sequels in this incident. First is the Lucknow wherein a man driving down policemen were not only leading ‘black
constable shooting down a multina- just a few km from the police headquar- Day protests against the arrest of the
tional executive for no apparent reason ters with a female colleague was shot cops, whom they said were put behind
and second is the tremendous upsurge dead by a constable, but also had no an- bars without any inquiry, but were also
by men in uniform against the arrest of swer why there was this outbursts by his uploading pictures on social media of
two cops. men in uniform. the protest.
On September 28, the city woke up to Singh asserted that severe action has Constable Prashant had alleged that
the shocking news of the random shoot- being taken. While three cops from three he had to fire in “self-defence” as Tiwari
ing down of 38-year-old Vivek Tiwari, refused to slow down when signaled
Apple executive, in the wee hours in the and was trying to escape. Prima facie
state’s capital Lucknow. Driving his SUV, Prashant’s statements have so far not
Tiwari was returning home from a late Transport for shown any signs of truth.
night official party with a female col- The open protest and solidarity by a
league when he was allegedly asked to female staff big segment of the state police force have
stop, failing which he was shot down by shown that the policemen had no respect
police constable Prashant Chaudhury for late night for the Service laws by which they were
who was on patrol duty with constable bound. They openly charged the senior
Sandeep Kumar. parties officials of playing to the gallery and not
The news created an uproar in the city protecting their own men. The anger and
known for its ‘pehle aap’(first you) cul- An important aspect that has resentment against the cops’ arrest was
ture. Prashant and Sandeep were arrest- to be looked into is the protec- visible right from the time of the arrest.
ed and sent to jail. The accused cop just tion and safeguard by organi- The UP police association supported the
before his arrest gave interviews to the sations and business houses to accused and unitarily declared October
media, while his wife Rakhi Malik, also a the female staff for such official 5 as ‘Black Day’ to register their protest.
UP constable, stood beside him and gave late night parties. It is said that This revealed the chinks in the armor of
anti-police statements stating that justice Tiwari was going to drop home the UP police and the opposition allega-
was not done to her husband by the sen- his colleague Sana Khan home tion that all is not well with the manage-
iors and he was not allowed to file an FIR. after the party. Will Apple Au- ment of the state police.
Next followed an immediate upsurge of thorities clarify as to why there While the DGP has ordered probe
near revolt in the constabulary after the was no official vehicle available into the entire incident, the widow of
arrest of the two constables. for Ms Khan . Apple, a multina- the victim, Kalpana Tiwari, who has been
The protest by policemen was partly tional tec giant has been very offered 40 lakhs, a government accom-
vocal and mainly through social media. quite on the issue. modation and a job as PRO in Nagar
The men in khaki donned black bands Women organizations must Nigam by the chief minister as compen-
as mark of protest and gave statements look into this accept seriously. sation has demanded adequate punish-
against the senior officers before the Companies which expect their ment for the policeman who killed her
press and flaunted pictures of protest on female employees to attend husband for no reason and suspension
the WhatsApp and Facebook and all this such parties must also ensure of those policemen who are supporting
without fear of punishment and in total their safety and security and the killers of her husband.
violation of the Police Service Regulation that they are dropped home There has been a strong and united
Act. The appeal of the Chief Minister and safely by office transport. protest by the Opposition who allege that
Police chief seemed to have no effect on there is no law and order left in the city

Tehelka / 31 october 2018 40 www.Tehelka.com