BJP Leader Says Caste-based Police Recruitment by SP Govt Responsible for Lucknow Executive’s Killing

Lucknow: Hours after a Lucknow police officer allegedly gunned down an Apple executive here, a BJP leader blamed the violence on police officers recruited during the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government and added that the caste-based hiring was also a reason behind the killing.

“I don’t want to get into politics at the moment, but this is a result of the police recruitment that was done by the Samajwadi Party government on the basis of caste. The recruitment during the regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav were controversial and only people from a certain caste were recruited,” said BJP Spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi.

Tripathi also expressed his sympathies with the family of the deceased and added that strict action would be taken against the culprits. “This is not a case of laxity but a criminal offence. We will set an example so that such incidents are not repeated,” Tripathi said.

Soon, the BJP leader’s comments triggered a war of words as SP leaders shot back at the BJP government that this is not a time to indulge in politics.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria said that the BJP should be ashamed of engaging in politics over the Apple executive's murder.

“BJP has lost its mind and it is now dragging Samajwadi Party into this murder. They should be ashamed of politicizing the murder of a common man who is survived by his wife and two young daughters,” he said.

An Apple store employee was shot dead by Uttar Pradesh police officers allegedly for not stopping during a routine check in Gomti Nagar area of the city.

The incident occurred on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday when the deceased, Vivek Tiwari was travelling in his car along with his female colleague in Gomti Nagar Extension. The officer on patrol duty signaled Tiwari to stop for the routine check. However, Tiwari did not stop, which led to police officer Prashant Chaudhary shooting at him with his service pistol.

Tiwari lost control of the car due to the firing and hit the police officer's motorcycle that was parked next to his vehicle, before ramming an electricity poll a few metres away. He was rushed to Lohia Hospital, where he succumbed to gunshot injuries.