Crime links killed 4 cops over last 3 months

In the last three months, six incidents of assault on police constables were reported from the state. While six constables were killed, only one managed to recover and return to duty. However, out of the six slain constables, only two were given the last condolence salute by their colleagues. The remaining four were killed by criminals in the Mirzapur district and were reported to be absent from duty at the time of the incident.

The first incident was reported on December 28 last year, when two constables, Mahavir Yadav and Pankaj Yadav, were found brutally murdered near the Panchsheel Dari waterfall. Police suspected the role of animal smugglers and later arrested nine persons after following a long trail in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Both constables were found in plain clothes and according to police officials, harboured links with the poachers. “They were posted at the Gyanwapi Masjid outpost and had skipped duty to meet the smugglers. During investigations, it was also revealed that they had an altercation with the killers before the incident”, informed B D Paulson.

In a similar incident on January 9 this year, another constable, Devendra Mishra, was shot dead by two motorcycle borne miscreants in the Railway colony of Mirzapur. “He was posted in Magh Mela, Allahabad, but he did not report for duty,” says Paulson. Mishra was a native of Mirzapur and had been trying to get the new posting cancelled. “We arrested the attackers who revealed that they were working hand-in-glove with Mishra and the killing was a fall-out of a dispute”, added Paulson.

Two months later on March 18, Constable Rameshwar Shukla, was shot dead in his native village Pathariya, Mirzapur. “He was recently transferred to the Income Tax office in Varanasi after serving for many years in Mirzapur. We arrested the criminals and similar links were also exposed in this incident”, explained Paulson. Last month, a circular was issued to all the district chief of police with instructions to prepare a list of policemen suspected to have criminal links and scan their records accordingly.