Lucknow: It is election time and the UP chief minister Adityanath Yogi is all set to begin his election campaign from October 1. The rising political fever was evident as there was a flurry of activities at both the Opposition and ruling parties’ camps. Even as the gruesome murder of a young trader in a hotel at Gorakhpur has exposed the brutal face of Uttar Pradesh police and the post mortem report, evidences and witnesses’ accounts have pointed out that it was a case of extortion by the local police, politicians have already made a beeline at the trader’s house to demonstrate their grief.
Manish Gupta’s post mortem report goes on to say there were multiple injuries caused due to severe beating. The owner of the hotel where the traders had checked in too has confirmed that policemen conducting search had thrashed Manish badly. The hotel owner Subhash Shukla said that to destroy evidence of brutality, the police took away the DVR of the CCTV cameras.
Accusing the in charge of Ramgarh Talab police out post in Gorakhpur, JN Singh of unnecessary torturing the guests staying in the hotels of the area, Shukla said that same happened on the fateful night of Tuesday. According to him, the police in charge came to the hotel and immediately went up to the room (number 512) where Gupta had checked in with two friends. While the other two had shown their identity proof, Manish had asked why he needed to show proof, which annoyed police men.
However, the Gorakhpur police in its report, sent to the state government, have denied any such incident. According to its report, the trader Manish Gupta was fleeing from the hotel room when asked to provide identity proof and subsequently fell from the window and was severely injured and subsequently died.
The Additional Director General (ADG), Law & Order, Prashant Kumar said that so far a field report from Gorakhpur has been received. However, a detailed investigation is going on and the guilty would be punished. So far, six policemen, including inspector JN Singh have been suspended.
CM Yogi on Thursday met Gupta’s wife and his family. He assured Minakshi Gupta, widow of the deceased, a job with Kanpur Development Authority (KDA). After the meeting, Minakshi was happy with the CM’s assurance of action against the guilty.
Earlier, on Thursday morning, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reached Kanpur and met Gupta’s family. He demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge and termination of guilty police officials. The SP chief announced that his party would provide financial assistance to the trader’s family. He said there is complete lawlessness in the state and no one is safe in this government.
