Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the Yogi Adityanath government over the Lucknow executive killing
Opposition party leaders have accused the Uttar Pradesh government of creating fertile grounds for a trigger-happy police to grow unhindered, a day after an executive linked to a multinational tech firm was shot dead in his SUV by a constable in Lucknow.
UP police chief OP Singh's promise to wean out "rogues in uniform" who bring dishonour to the force has failed to calm Yogi Adityanath's opponents, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioning the high number of "encounters" under the saffron-robbed chief minister's watch.
"Unfortunate, can't imagine such an incident, but what else will you expect from BJP government in UP? There have been numerous fake encounters under this government," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol, where he is campaigning for his party for the assembly election.
Vivek Tiwari was shot dead by the constable in the early hours of Saturday. The constable has alleged that he opened fire in "self-defence" after Mr Tiwari rammed a patrol motorcycle and "tried to run him over".
A woman who was in Mr Tiwari's SUV, however, said they hadn't realised the two policemen wanted them to stop, and their vehicle had hit the motorcycle while trying to pass them.
Prashant Chowdhary and Sandeep Kumar -- the two constables involved in the incident -- have been dismissed from service and summarily arrested.
"Uttar Pradesh cannot be saved from fake encounters until inquiry of such incidents is conducted by a sitting judge," said Akhilesh Yadav, whose Samajwadi Party government in the past had also drawn flak from the opposition and activists over allegations of letting a "jungle raj" thrive in the state.
Congress leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged the killing of the executive "exposed the real character of the BJP that came to power on the promise of ending goonda raj and jungle raj."
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked Mr Adityanath to take swift action in the case.
The executive's family has accepted the Adityanath government's offer of Rs 25 lakh compensation, a government job and a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
With inputs from agencies