With the business community demanding that Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani, initiate a high-level probe into the alleged custodial death of a local trader, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government by tweeting: “UP Police is kind to criminals, but specialises in harassing citizens every day.”

Other opposition parties have already targeted the government over the death and accused the government of conspiring to suppress the case by offering false arguments. 

Meanwhile on Wednesday, on her two-day visit to her parliamentary constituency Amethi, Irani  met the trader associations.

The family of victim Satya Prakash Shukla of Pratapgarh, has been alleging that he was tortured in front of the children. 

A similar incident took place in Hapur some weeks back. 

Earlier, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had slammed the state government by tweeting, “The BJP government is trying to suppress public outrage caused by the death of Satya Prakash Shukla in police custody in Amethi. The allegations of harassment and third-degree should be investigated objectively or else the trust of the people on the BJP government will be lost.”

UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ also announced to launch a state-wide agitation if the government failed to punish the guilty cops. Talking to media persons in Lucknow on Wednesday, Lallu said, “The Yogi government has failed to keep a check on its police force.’’ 

Meanwhile in Amethi, under pressure from all corners, the district administration ordered a magisterial inquiry into the custodial death of Satya Prakash Shukla (50). 

“Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Yogendra Kumar has been asked to look into the matter from all angles in keeping with the seriousness of the case,” District Magistrate of Amethi, Prashant Sharma, said.

On Monday night, Shukla and his sons were brought to a police station for questioning in connection with the loot of Rs 26 lakh from a bank employee in Peeparpur area on October 5. Shukla, of Antu in Pratapgarh district, allegedly consumed poison and was rushed to a hospital where he died during treatment. 

His son alleged that his father consumed poison due to police torture. 

SP of Amethi, Khyati Garg, said that a high-level departmental inquiry had been ordered and it would be headed by Additional Superintendent of Police P Dayaram. 

“All those found guilty will be punished as per rules,” the SP said. 

Garg, however, dismissed charges of torture or police having forced Shukla to consume poison, saying that the allegations were “far from true”.   

Criticising the government for the alleged custodial death of Satya Prakash Shukla, the Communist Party of India’s state secretary, Dr Girish, demanded stringent action against the errant cops. He said the Yogi government had failed to maintain law and order and curb crime in UP. 

Dr Girish demanded compensation for the family of the custodial death victim of Amethi.