History-sheeter Vikas Dubey, who is in the news for reportedly being one of the main accused in the Kanpur encounter case in which eight police personnel lost their lives and six were grievously injured, is being touted as a hero on social media, reported NDTV Khabar.
There is a page dedicated to Dubey on social media which addresses him as ‘Brahmin Shiromani’ or Brahmin Supreme and there are many on social media with right-wing and Sanatan ideologies, who have supported his actions.
The Kanpur Nagar Police Station also put out a statement saying that some people on social media had put up posts on social media praising Dubey. In light of this, there were two FIRs registered at the Fazalganj police station and the Kakadev police station.
थाना चौबेपुर में शहीद हुए 08 पुलिस कर्मियों की घटना के विषय में अत्यन्त ही आपत्तिजनक पोस्ट सोशल मीडिया पर डाले जाने पर #kanpurnagarpolice पुलिस द्वारा की गयी कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में श्रीमान् पुलिस अधीक्षक, दक्षिण महोदया द्वारा दी गयी बाईट। @Uppolice @adgzonekanpur @igrangekanpur pic.twitter.com/TbTIUyftH5
— Kanpur Nagar Police (@kanpurnagarpol) July 4, 2020
The police has said that it had arrest the person against whom the case was registered at Kakadev police station – one Kilkil Sar who had posted the following –
However, Kilkil Sar, later posted that his satire was taken literally and that though there were efforts to book him under stringent charges, he had been released on bail. However, News 18 reported that sources said Sachan was close to Vikas Dubey and it was under his patronage that Kilkil’s coaching centre flourished.
Political Connections
Dubey, who has more than 60 criminal cases registered against him, has enjoyed the patronage of several political parties – right from Samajwadi Party to the BJP.
उत्तरप्रदेश सरकार के क़ानून मंत्री ब्रजेश पाठक और विकास दुबे एक साथ। ये रिश्ता क्या कहलाता है? pic.twitter.com/7Q2paPHPql
— Surya Pratap Singh IAS Rtd. (@suryapsingh_IAS) July 3, 2020
Accused of attempted murder, dacoity, extortion and kidnapping among other charges in 2001, Dubey had allegedly played a part in the murder of BJP politician and Minister of State, Sanotsh Shukla who was shot in the police station premises. As per News 18, he had surrendered before the court, but was granted bail after a few months as the witnesses turned hostile.
In 2001, he was named in the murder of Assistant Manager of Tarachand Inter College, Siddheshwar Pandey. The murder allegedly took place in the Shivli police area of Kanpur. In the same year, he was named in a conspiracy of the murder of Rambabu Yadav within the Shivli jail. In 2004, he was allegedly accused in the murder of cable businessman Dinesh Dubey and in 2018, he was said to have carried out a deadly attack on his cousin Anurag, from the confines of the Mati jail.
While in Jail, he also won the Shivrajpur Nagar Panchayat election. Hailing from Bikru village in Chaubepur, he is said to have established an army of youths loyal to him and has been involved in various crimes like robbery, dacoity and murder in various parts of Kanpur.
In a video from 2017, speaking to Aaj Tak, Dubey mentions about his political connections. In the video he calls BSP his ‘home’ and says that though other parties are asking him to be a member, he couldn’t leave BSP, his ‘home’ where he was a ‘master’ and everyone knew him by name.
In another video, Dubey has also named BJP MLAs Bhagwati Prasad Sagar and Abhijit Sanga and other authorities who allegedly asked the police to release him in a murder case he was apprehended for in 2017.
As the investigation in the recent Kanpur encounter heats up, Dubey remains absconding. The call for his arrest is growing, especially as the history of his political connections is unraveling as time passes. While some are hailing Dubey for his actions, there is a larger majority, Brahmins included, who have distanced themselves from him. Dubey’s journey seems to have begun and flourished as a result of nasty caste politics combined with the patronage of those in power. However, whether the same will be repeated given the outcry of the public for his arrest, remains to be seen.
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