Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the family members of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari on Monday and assured all help, including monetary support and a Government job, to the widow of Tiwari, 38, who was shot dead by a trigger-happy constable for allegedly refusing to stop his SUV for checking in Gomti Nagar Extension area in the early hours of Saturday.
The State Government announced Rs 25 lakh for the family and Rs 5 lakh each for the education of Tiwari’s daughters. Another Rs 5 lakh was also given for his elderly mother. The CM asked the district administration to release the fund immediately.
After Yogi’s assurance, the Lucknow Nagar Nigam offered the job of a PRO to widow Kalpana Tiwari as per her qualification.
Though sacked constable Prashant Chaudhary and his colleague Sandeep Kumar are in judicial custody, in a latest development a voice of dissent has seemingly started to set in among the rank and file of the Uttar Pradesh Police with several constables and Sub Inspectors expressing support for the accused constables and started contributing money to his wife to defend the accused constable in court.
Arguing that the accused constables were doing their duty as per the instruction of their bosses and Prashant opened fire in self defence, some policemen said, “We are asked to control the law and order and also are asked to conduct vehicle checking. The top cops are concerned with the output and they had no exposure to the troubles we face while discharging duty. Whenever we share the same we are snubbed by them.”
They said, “Prashant was denied permission to present his side of the story in the episode and it is against the natural justice. Even those charged in criminal cases have the right to present his side in the case in which he had been accused during the investigation.”
Earlier, Kalpana, 38, her two daughters and brother-in law Vishnu met the Yogi at his official 5, Kalidas Marg residence for over 25 minutes. Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma went to the Tiwari residence and took the family to the CM’s residence.
“This is a shocking incident and my condolences are with the bereaved family. An SIT has been formed which has started investigation. Directives have been given to the police to spare none in this case,” Yogi later said in a statement.
The CM said the Government will take care of the family, including the children and Vivek’s elderly mother.
Later talking to reporters, Kalpana said all her demands had been met. “I wanted strict action against the guilty, a job, accommodation, educational expenses of my daughters and my mother-in-law. The Chief Minister agreed to all my demands”, she said. “I am satisfied with the government action. I had earlier said that I have faith in our government and today it faith has been strengthened,” Kalpana said.
The Opposition targeted the Yogi Government over the incident and its response. They said the Government had given a free hand to cops to kill innocents in the name of encounter.