Bikru ambush: 23 get 10-year jail over killing of cops by Vikas Dubey gang

A special court in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday awarded 23 people 10 years of imprisonment in connection with the killing of eight policemen in an ambush by deceased gangster Vikas Dubey’s aides in 2020.

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According to special director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar, seven remaining accused in the case were acquitted by the special Gangster Act court. Additional district judge-5 Durgesh, who passed the order, also imposed a penalty of ₹50,000 on each of the convicts, he said.

The counsel for one of the convicts said he will move Allahabad high court against the special court’s judgment.

The case pertains to the killing of eight policemen, including deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Devendra Mishra, in Bikru village on July 3, 2020 when they were on their way to arrest Dubey in connection with an abduction and an attempt to murder case. All 30 accused were charged under the Gangster Act on October 21, 2021.

“Out of 30 accused, 23 were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, and a fine of ₹50,000 was imposed on each of them. The remaining were acquitted,” Kumar told reporters.

Public prosecutor Raju Porwal also confirmed the punishment and said he will “soon challenge the acquittals” of the seven people.

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Following the July 3 incident, two of Dubey’s associates – Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey – were killed in an encounter in Kanpur, according to the police. While Pandey was killed hours after the deaths of the policemen on July 3, Atul Dubey was killed on July 5.

On July 8, Amar Dubey (key shooter of gangster Vikas Dubey), who carried a reward of ₹50,000, was killed in an alleged police encounter in Maudaha village of Hamirpur district. The following day, Kartikeya alias Prabhat and Bauwa Dubey alias Praveen were killed in separate encounters in Kanpur and Etawah districts, respectively, the police said.

Police said all the deceased were directly or indirectly involved in the ambush.

Vikas Dubey was arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain city on July 9, 2020. A day later, he was killed in a purported police encounter after he tried to escape when a police vehicle ferrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident.

The slain gangster’s aide Shyamu Bajpai (35) and his alleged financier, Jaikanth Bajpai, alias Jay (37), are among those convicted.

Advocate Shivakant Dixit, who appeared for Jaikanth Bajpai, said: “The investigating officer in his testimony said he did not have any evidence against Bajpai. We could not convince the court the way we would have liked. I am hopeful of getting justice from the high court.”

Following the court’s verdict, police security was stepped up in Bikru village. Joint commissioner of police Anand Prakash Tiwari said police have been directed to maintain a close watch on the village, particularly on the relatives of the convicts.