Arrest recorded at noon, ‘live’ encounter at night?
STAGED? Top cop seeks report into alleged ‘live operation’ by Gzb police in media presence
NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh additional director general (law and order), Anand Kumar, has sought a preliminary report into an alleged late night ‘live’ anticrime operation carried out by officers of Ghaziabad Police on July 20.
Video footage of the operation, conducted in the presence of some mediapersons, shows the police ‘nabbing’ one Deepak Sharma, who carried a reward of ₹25,000 and was allegedly involved in a murder and robbery in Andhra Pradesh.
Hindustan Times has learnt that the top brass has sought a report into the alleged encounter, conducted at a forested area in Kamla Nehru Nagar of Ghaziabad, after they came to know about an FIR lodged at the Kavi Nagar police station about the arrest of Sharma.
The FIR (crime number 1069/2017) says Sharma was arrested around 12 noon on July 20 from Lak village in Muzaffarnagar. But the footage shows Sharma being nabbed on July 20 night in Ghaziabad.
“The ADG has sought a detailed preliminary report from senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad, about the encounter and the arrest of the accused. On inquiry, action will be taken up against the officials,” said Rahul Srivastava, spokesperson of the UP director general of police.
The alleged ‘live operation’ was captured on camera. The footage shows firing by policemen, a chase to arrest the two men, who allegedly try to flee on a bike, and finally the policemen nabbing Sharma from bushes.
The content of the FIR, uploaded on the UP police CCTNS website, however, states that during the journey back to Ghaziabad, Sharma offered the team to help recover a pistol and cartridges allegedly used by him and his accomplice, Happy, during a robbery in Ghaziabad on April 20.
The FIR states that Sharma was taken in a private car to Happy’s residence in Sector 23, Sanjay Nagar, in Ghaziabad. But Happy saw the cops and escaped even after a chase.
Sharma helped the police recover the weapons and ₹35,000 left over from the loot . The police seized the items at 4pm on July 20, the FIR stated.
Surprisingly, five hours later, the policemen — including a special operation group team personnel of superintendent of police Akash Tomar —were seen in videos, carrying out a search operation at a secluded jungle area near Kamla Nehru Nagar. The entire action is captured by mediapersons present at the spot.
Minutes later, a bike emerges from a lane with two riders rushing ahead. The policemen give According to the FIR, Deepak Kumar is arrested at 12 noon on July 20 from Lak village in Muzaffarnagar. He is taken to Ghaziabad in a private car
Midway, he tells police he can help them recover ~60,000 he robbed from a man along with his accomplice named Happy Police reach Sector 23 in Sanjay Nagar with Kumar. Happy flees the spot after seeing police. Police recover a pistol, three cartridges and ~35,000 from Happy’s house at 4pm
However, police say encounter in which Kumar was held took place around 9.30pm near Kamla Nehru Nagar in Ghaziabad them a chase, firing shots in the air. The mediapersons running alongside capture the sequence. Sharma, with his face covered with a handkerchief, is pulled out by the cops from the bushes. The second person, presumably Happy, is said to have absconded.
The videos were widely circulated on social media. The ‘live encounter’ drew criticism over the presence of press at the spot.
“Gzb. Ps kavinagar, Encounter between police and criminals in Kamla Nehru nagar. There was 2 criminals on bike fired on police team. 7 to 8 round firing between police and criminals. One arrested, 1 pistal and bike recoverd. Combing is continue for other criminal (sic),” Tomar had flashed the message through WhatsApp around 10.30pm on July 20. A copy of the broadcast message is with HT.
Meanwhile, Tomar said he had written to the SSP, Ghaziabad, and sought an inquiry into the team that arrested the man.
“I was given the information and immediately I went to the spot. Later through media reports, I came to know that there were other angles to the story than what was claimed by the arresting team. So, I have sent the report to SSP for conducting an independent inquiry by an assistant superintendent of police,” Tomar added.