BJP GETTING HURT BY ITS OWN WEAPON
STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH Within two months of formation of Yogi Adityanath govt, law and order has turned out to be the Achilles’ heel of the new regime with cases of loot and murder being reported from all over the state
Within two months of formation of Yogi Adityanath govt, law & order has turned out to be the Achilles heel of the government with cases of loot and murder being reported from all over UP.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made the poor law and order situation in the previous Samajwadi Party government its main poll plank during recent assembly elections in the state.
However, within two months of formation of Yogi Adityanath government , law and order has turned out to be the Achilles heel of the government with cases of loot and being murder reported from all over the state, especially West UP.
The killing of two jewellers in Mathura on Monday night has rattled the government with chief minister himself taking proactive measures, including mass transfers of police officials.
The sudden spurt in cases of loot, murder, dacoity and communal clashes has put the state government on back foot, providing enough ammunition to the opposition to hit back at the ruling party.
“Murder and loot have become the order of the day as criminals are striking at will,” said Ram Govind Chaudhary, leader of the opposition in the legislative assembly.
“The SP will return to power with 385 seats in the next assembly election if the Yogi government continued to function in this manner,” he said.
The crime graph has gone up across the state but west UP has turned out to be the main trouble zone. The killing and loot of traders has forced the people to hit the street in Mathura, Agra, Meerut and Saharanpur. The markets shut down in protest and district administration officers faced the wrath of the people.
AGRA
The road hold-up on Agra-Lucknow Expressway on May 3 is yet to be worked out. A petrol pump owner in Kheragarh was looted on May 1. A jeweller having shop in Nagla Mahadev of Sadar area was targeted by dacoits on April 28 and despite CCTV footage criminals are still at large.
VARANASI
A major robbery at a jewellery shop in Thatheri Bazar area, four loots at various locations on a single day, and an attempt to rob a jewellery store in Rathyatra in April rocked the city. Besides, an incident of rape occurred here in May.
ALLAHABAD
The situation is no different here. BSP leader Mohammad Shami was shot dead outside his residence few days after BJP came to power on March 19.
The sensational murder triggered massive protests by Shami’s supporters. Some time after that a police constable Rajkumar Singh, 48 was shot dead by a gangster in Budaura village of Pratapgarh district.
Then four members of a family, including two girls, were hacked to death inside their house in Judapur village of Nawabganj, in trans-Ganga area on April 23.
GORAKHPUR (THE HOME TURF OF THE CM)
A trader was shot dead when he was returning home after closing his shop. The traders association observed a closure in protest.
SAHARANPUR
Unlawful activities of saffron brigade members and attack on police personnel embarrassed the state government.
A mob led by the BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal vandalised the residence of the then SSP in Saharanpur. The IPS association registered a protest and demanded action against the culprits. Even after a month, no action has been taken.
The chief minister tried to instill confidence among the masses, ordering crackdown on gangsters.
“Mafiosi and gangsters should leave the state else they will be put behind bars,” he said.
Addressing party leaders in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, he told them to restrain themselves and not take law into their hands. To revamp the police force, the government appointed ADG rank officers in-charge of zones and IGs have been sent to police range.
However, it seems that message has not percolated to lower level officials as people continued to be at receiving end and criminals continue to carry out their nefarious activities.
Loot incidents in Mathura, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Allahabad and Meerut have taken place and terrorized the traders.
A leader of Lucknow Traders’ Association Vinay Maheswari said, “The fear among the traders could be gauged from the fact that majority of them do not wish to open their establishment fearing that criminal gangs might target them.”
Talking to HT, ADG (Law and Order) Aditya Mishra said, “After formation of the new government the police machinery was being overhauled. Non-performers are being shunted out and professional officers have been dispatched to the field. Criminal gangs are taking benefit of the change in the police set up. The newly appointed SPs have been told to launch drive against criminal gangs. Officers have also been told to focus on investigation to ensure that culprits get punishment.”
Mishra said, “The superintendents of police have been told to set up extra police pickets in the market areas and near jewellers shops. The police will organize regular patrolling. A list of active criminals will be prepared to monitor their activities. Owners of business establishments and jewellers shop have been told to verify all short term employees. In majority of cases it was found that employees passed on information to criminals and played active role in loot as well.”
Speaking in the legislative assembly on Tuesday, the chief minister said: “My government has completed merely two months in power and effort was being made in to improve law and order. After one year the people will know who are involved in criminal activities and trying to terrorize the people. There will be rule of law in the state.”