Defiant constables observe ‘Black Day’ in support of murder accused
Taking stern action, admn suspends 3 constables, shifts 3 SHOs and arrests 2 terminated cops
LUCKNOW/VARANASI: In an act of open defiance, some constables at various police stations of Lucknow observed ‘Black Day’ on Friday and tied black ribbons on their arms in support of constables Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Kumar Rana, the accused in the murder of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari, leaving the police and administration rattled.
Taking a stern view of their indiscipline, the police administration suspended three constables of Naka, Gudamba and Aliganj police stations for instigating other policemen to protest and transferred three station in-charges (SHOs) for laxity of duty. Also, two terminated constables, Brijendra Yadav and Avinash Pathak, were arrested from Varanasi and Mirzapur for instigating constables to hold protests, police said.
Top officials, including the chief secretary, principal secretary to the CM, principal secretary (home) and the DGP briefed chief minister Yogi Adityanath about the situation and action taken against the policemen.
Earlier in the day, photographs of constables wearing black ribbons on their arms in support of Chaudhary and Rana were circulated on social media and constables at Gudamba, Naka and Aliganj police stations reported for duty wearing black ribbons. Sources said at least 30 constables, who wore black ribbons, had been identified.
DIG Praveen Kumar said the constables wore black ribbons at a few police stations and removed it after getting pictures clicked. They joined duty later, he added. A senior police official, who did not want to be named, said most of protestors were of 2015-16 batch. Some sub-inspectors also protested, he said.
A DGP headquarters’ communiqué said senior officials had received information that constables had been protesting against action in the Vivek Tiwari murder case by tying black ribbon and posting their photographs on social media for the last two days. “A detailed inquiry is being conducted and action will be initiated after it,” it added.“Preliminary inquiry has revealed that some of the photographs are morphed. Some other photographs are of a two-year old protest by constables against their salary discrepancies,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, senior police officers, including DGP OP Singh and ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar held a meeting in the day to take stock of the situation.
Prashant Chaudhary, a 2015-16 batch constable, had shot dead Vivek Tiwari in Gomti Nagar at around 1.30 am on September 29. Tiwari was going to drop his ex-colleague Sana Khan in his SUV. An unrecognised constables’ association had launched a protest and given a call to observe ‘Black Day’ across the country on Friday demanding fair investigation into the murder case.
Organisations like Non-Gazetted Police Welfare Association and Rakshak Dal have also called upon constables to support the campaign on social media. DGP headquarters spokesman Vivek Tripathi said the UP police comprised of three lakh personnel and protest by a few constables did not mean rebellion. Meanwhile, constable Sarvesh Chaudhary, posted in Etah, was suspended and departmental inquiry ordered against him on Thursday for launching a social media campaign against the action taken by the police in Tiwari murder case. Later, Sarvesh submitted his resignation to the SSP Etah Ashish Tiwari. The SSP said he had received the resignation but had not decided on it.Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged against unidentified people at Hazratganj police station for posting derogatory comments on Facebook. A post doing the rounds on various social media platforms said: “Senior police officials are not supporting our brothers. Let us come together to ensure justice to Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Rana.”
The post also contained bank details of both the constables and the wife of Prashant Chaudhary, who is also a constable, seeking financial assistance to their families. “We will give ₹ 5 crore to our brother Prashant,” the post said. Though the source of the message could not be ascertained, it was shared by many people.