Vikas Dubey

Vikas Dubey (26 December 1964 – 10 July 2020) was an Indian Crime boss and gangster-turned-politician based in Kanpur Dehat district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The first criminal case against him was registered in the early 1990s, and by 2020, he had over 60 criminal cases against his name.[3][4][5] He was connected to the killing of a minister of state, and in another incident, was the main accused in the killing of eight policemen during an attempted arrest.[6][7] Uttar Pradesh Police declared him an absconder with a bounty of ₹5 lakh before he was finally arrested on 9 July 2020 in Ujjain.[8][9][10] He was killed on 10 July 2020 in an encounter, after the police vehicle carrying him met with an accident.[11]

Vikas Dubey
Born26 December 1964
Bikroo, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died (aged 56)
Sachendi, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
NationalityIndian
Other namesVikas Pandit, Pandit Ji
Criminal statusKilled in encounter[1][2]
Criminal chargeMurder, robbery, kidnapping, illegal land acquisition, criminal intimidation

Media reports state that because of his political connections, Vikas Dubey had been acquitted for most of his murders, despite the presence of multiple witnesses at the scenes.[7] Following his death, a judicial commission led by a retired Supreme Court judge, B. S. Chauhan, was initiated in order to probe Dubey's death and how he managed bail, among other things.[12][13]

Early life

He was the resident of Bikroo Village ,Kanpur Dehat District Chaubepur block, Uttar Pradesh.[3] In his youth, he formed his own gang. He was responsible for numerous criminal activities, including murder and "land grabbing".[14][15] Dubey soon became one of the most wanted criminals in Kanpur. The first case against him was lodged in 1990 for murder.[3][5] Soon after, he associated himself as a close aide of the politician Harikishan Srivastava. Srivastava was then a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the mid-1990s.[3][16] Dubey also joined the BSP in 1995-96 and won elections at the district level, by allegedly employing force.[6][7] His wife, Richa Dubey, has also won elections of local bodies.[3] Dubey was the primary accused in the 2001 killing of BJP leader Santosh Shukla, who was then a minister of state, inside the Shivli police station.[17] He had previously been arrested but was later acquitted due to alleged political influence.[7] He was known to go by the name Vikas Pandit, naming himself after the titular character of the 1999 film Arjun Pandit. He was known to be alternatively referred to by this name, or simply as Pandit.[18]

July 2020 encounter

On 3 July 2020, during an attempt to arrest Dubey and his men, eight policemen were killed, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), while seven police personnel were left injured. Two gunmen, identified as a maternal uncle and another close relative of Dubey, were also killed in the gunfight.[19] The autopsy report revealed that DSP Devendra Mishra had been beheaded and brutalised with an axe, while other cops had multiple bullet wounds fired from different weapons, suggesting an ambush.[20] The police later recovered weapons, including an Ak-47 rifle and an INSAS rifle, among others.[21] The inspector-general of police of Kanpur said that at least 60 men had ambushed the police team, who were just 30 in number.[20] Call records showed that Dubey was in contact with multiple cops, who leaked information to him.[22] Following this, the Kanpur administration demolished his house with a bulldozer.[23] 25 police teams were then formed to arrest Dubey and his associates.[24]

Arrest and death

Dubey was arrested in 2017; the government of Uttar Pradesh booked him under the Gangsters Act and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act and chargesheeted him in 2019. He challenged this at the high court and secured an order of no coercive action against him.[25]

He was apprehended again on 9 July 2020 near the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.[2] He is reported to have shouted his name while being arrested, fearing being killed in a similar manner as his accomplices.[26] A petition filed in the Supreme Court later that night had requested security for him and a CBI investigation into a series of killings.[27]

On 10 July, the vehicle carrying Dubey was involved in a road accident and overturned.[28][29][30] Dubey allegedly snatched a pistol from a policeman trying to fix a flat tyre and tried to run away,[31] before being killed by Uttar Pradesh police.[32]

Post-death investigation

Following Dubey's death, an investigation led by retired Supreme Court judge B. S. Chauhan was initiated, in order to look into the 2 July encounter, Dubey's death, encounters with people in Dubey's circle, Dubey's state connections, and how he managed bail.[12][13] The judicial commission also includes judge Shashi Kant Agarwal and Indian Police Service officer K. L. Gupta.[13]

References
  1. "Vikas Dubey encounter live updates: Vikas Dubey was injured in encounter, declared dead in hospital". The Times of India.
  2. Dwary, Anurag (9 July 2020). Ghosh, Deepshikha (ed.). "UP Gangster Vikas Dubey, On The Run, Arrested At Madhya Pradesh Temple". NDTV.com. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  3. Awasthi, Puja (3 July 2020). "Notorious UP criminal Vikas Dubey enjoyed patronage of Samajwadi Party, BJP". The Week. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. "Small-Time Politician, Real-Estate Business, Gangster: Who Is Vikas Dubey?". The Wire. PTI. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. Pandey, Alok (5 July 2020). Nair, Arun (ed.). "Over 100 Locations Searched In Hunt For UP Gangster Who Killed 8 Cops". NDTV. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  6. Rashid, Omar (3 July 2020). "Kanpur attack | Main accused Vikas Dubey faces 60 criminal cases". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. "Political patronage nurtured history-sheeter Vikas Dubey". The New Indian Express. IANS. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. "Kanpur attack: Reward on gangster Vikas Dubey increased to Rs 5 lakh". Outlook India. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. "Rs 2.5 Lakh Bounty On Criminal Wanted In Killing Of 8 Policemen In UP". NDTV. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. ""Police Should Kill My Son": Mother Of Notorious Criminal Behind Killing Of 8 UP Cops". NDTV. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  11. Desk, The Hindu Net (10 July 2020). "Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in encounter, says UP Police". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  12. Vaidyanathan, A (22 July 2020). Ghosh, Deepshikha (ed.). "How Vikas Dubey Got Bail Is Focus Of Probe: Supreme Court's Brief". NDTV. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  13. Anand, Utkarsh (22 July 2020). "Why Vikas Dubey Was Out on Bail is Focus, Says SC on Encounter Probe". News18. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  14. "Kanpur encounter: Who is Vikas Dubey who has 60 cases in his name, killed UP minister". India Today. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  15. "Day after ambush, UP Police suspends station officer, razes criminal Vikas Dubey's hideout". The Indian Express. PTI. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. Dutta, Prabhash K. (10 July 2020). "Vikas Dubey: The gangster and his political story". India Today. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  17. Ray, Meenakshi, ed. (3 July 2020). "Vikas Dubey: Man behind Kanpur firing wanted for 60 cases of murder, robbery". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  18. "Dubey was impressed with Sunny Deols Arjun Pandit". Outlook. Indo-Asian News Service. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  19. Bajpai, Namita (3 July 2020). "Eight UP cops, including DSP, killed in encounter with criminals in Kanpur". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  20. Chakraborty, Pathikrit (5 July 2020). "In Maoist-style ambush, Vikas Dubey's men cut CO's head, toes: Autopsy". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  21. Abhinav, Sahay, ed. (3 July 2020). "'Won't be spared': Yogi Adityanath takes a vow to nab Kanpur gangsters". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  22. Srivastava, Shivendra (5 July 2020). "Vikas Dubey not in top 10 criminal list after 60 cases; was in contact with 24 cops". India Today. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  23. Pandey, Alok; Srinivasan, Chandrashekar (4 July 2020). "UP Gangster Vikas Dubey, Who Killed 8 Cops, Missing For 36 Hours, House Demolished". NDTV. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  24. PTI (4 July 2020). "Over 25 teams formed by UP police to nab Vikas Dubey, day after 8 policemen were killed". ThePrint. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  25. Sharma, Aman (8 July 2020). "Gangster on the run, UP's main parties resort to mud-slinging". The Economic Times. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  26. Rashid, Omar (10 July 2020). "Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in encounter, says UP Police". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  27. "Accident, An Attempted Escape, Shot Dead: Cops On Gangster Vikas Dubey". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  28. "Vikas Dubey Encounter: एनकाउंटर में मारा गया विकास दुबे, STF की गाड़ी पलटने के बाद मुठभेड़". India Today (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  29. "LIVE Vikas Dubey News Update : कानपुर में एसटीएफ के साथ एनकाउंटर में मारा गया विकास दुबे". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  30. "Vikas Dubey encounter live updates: Car in UP STF motorcade bringing Vikas Dubey to Kanpur meets with accident". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  31. "Car In Police Convoy Taking Gangster Vikas Dubey To Kanpur Overturns". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  32. "Vikas Dubey encounter news: Gangster Vikas Dubey killed – What we know so far". The Times of India. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
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