The Shiv Sena on Monday said the Kanpur encounter in which eight policemen were killed has exposed the encounter specialist Uttar Pradesh government and raised questions over claims of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about ending goondaism in the state.
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According to a report by PTI, an editorial in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna said the 'Uttam Pradesh' now stands soaked in the blood of policemen, which is a shock for the country.
Eight police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were gunned down last week at a village near Kanpur by the henchmen of gangster Vikas Dubey.
An accomplice of prime accused Dubey has been arrested, while the gangster is still at large.
The Shiv Sena said there are reports of Dubey fleeing to Nepal after the incident.
India is not enjoying good relations with Nepal at present, the Marathi publication said, hoping Dubey does not turn out to be Dawood in Nepal for India.
"The Kanpur police killings has exposed the encounter specialist government in Uttar Pradesh," the Shiv Sena said.
'Kanpur episode revives the memories of killings of policemen in Nathuapur'
The Shiv Sena that the Kanpur episode revives the memories of killings of policemen by a gang in Uttar Pradesh's Nathuapur four decades ago, it said, wondering what has changed in Adityanaths regime if security personnel is getting killed even after 40 years (of that incident).
"Uttar Pradesh has faced ignominy for decades due to the gangs of goons there and their crimes. Claims have been made several times that goondaism has ended during the regime of present Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. But the Kanpur police killings have raised a big question mark on these claims, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.
During the three-year tenure of the Adityanath government in the state, more than 113 goons have been encountered, it said, asking how come Dubey's name was left out of it.
The Sena said there are more than 60 offences against the gangster, including that of murder and robbery, and wondered how come he got saved for want of evidence.