Vivek Tewari was shot dead by the police when he was returning home after the launch event for a mobile phone. The killing exposed the free hand given to police to kill people in encounter while perusing the policy of government under the direction of 'Thok Denge" philosophy.

The family of Vivek Tewari had said that they would not cremate the body unless CM Yogi himself visited their home and assured the family that action would be taken against the culprits. But the chief minister did not find time to visit the family of the young MNC office, but met them in his office.

Senior BJP leaders, including former Union minister Kalraj Mishra and cabinet minister Brijesh Pathak and other important leaders from the powerful Brahmin community, openly came out in support of Vivek Tewari and questioned the role of police in such deliberate killing.

It was only after public statements from powerful Brahmin leaders from party, criticising the role of police, deterioration in law and order and the safety of people moving around in the night Yogi Adityanath sent deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, considered to be the Brahmin face of the party, to the residence of Vivek Tewari. Dinesh Sharma with his persuasive skill succeeded in arranging the meeting for the family of Vivek Tewari with CM Yogi Adityanath at his office.

The government has promised Tewari’s widow a job and a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family. While an FIR has already been filed based on the eyewitness account of the dead man’s colleague, a second FIR would be registered on the family’s complaint. It has also promised police protection to the family. A crime branch team has been formed to check CCTV footage at the site of the shooting.

The killing of Vivek Tewari who was returning home with female colleague Sana has also exposed encounters by the police during regime of Yogi Adityanath.

Opposition parties and human right organisations have alleged that a free hand was given to police, with the result that a large number of youths belonging to minority community and Dalits were picked up and killed in fake encounters.

Recently the manner in which two youths of minority community were picked up in Aligarh and killed in alleged fake encounters in full view of local news channel questioned the authenticity of encounters.

Similarly, the National Human Right Commission too had taken suo moto cognizance of the alleged encounter of youth by the police and sought a report from UP police.

At a time when Lok Sabha elections are only a few months away the opposition parties are gearing up to corner BJP and the Yogi government for its failure to provide proper safety and killing people in fake encounters. (IPA Service)