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7:10 PM

Priyanka Gandhi demands CBI probe to ascertain facts in Vikas Dubey case

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded a CBI probe on Thursday to ascertain the facts about the "grant of protection" to gangster Vikas Dubey.

She also accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of "complete failure" in handling the Kanpur ambush case and arresting Dubey, the main accused who fled the state and was arrested from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday morning. The chain of events in the case exposed the chinks in security and hinted at collusion, Priyanka Gandhi said.

The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh alleged that "no action" on the part of the police on a three-month-old letter and Dubey's name not appearing in the list of noted criminals indicated that his strings were attached with high-ups. READ MORE...

7:01 PM

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to vacate her Lodhi Estate bungalow by month-end and shift base to Lucknow: Sources

6:59 PM

Act against Vikas Dubey's patrons in govt and politics as well: Mayawati

BSP president Mayawati on Thursday asked Uttar Pradesh government to take strict action against not only gangster Vikas Dubey, who along with his henchmen killed eight policemen last week in an ambush in Kanpur, but also against his patrons in the government and politics, news agency PTI reported.

The people of UP and the country are waiting for the government to expose all the criminal nexus and mafiyagiri' of Vikas Dubey, "the dreaded criminal following his arrest after a long struggle by the Madhya Pradesh police", said Mayawati in a tweet.

"The public is also waiting for the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure strict punishment at the earliest to all the government and political patrons and conspirators connected with Vikas Dubey in his heinous crimes," she said in another tweet.

Dubey was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police in Ujjain on Thursday morning after giving a slip to the UP police which was on the lookout for him since Friday when he and his henchmen ambushed a police party which had gone to his village under Chaubeypur police station to arrest him.

6:39 PM

India is strongly committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity: MEA on situation in eastern Ladakh

6:39 PM

In talks with Chinese Foreign Minister, NSA Ajit Doval conveyed India's position on developments along LAC including in Galwan valley: MEA

6:10 PM

It was 'well-planned surrender', Vikas Dubey was 'saved from death: Kin of slain DSP

A relative of DSP Devendra Mishra, who was among the eight killed in the Kanpur ambush, on Thursday questioned the arrest of gangster Vikas Dubey, claiming it was a "well-planned surrender" and the gangster was "saved from death".

He was apparently referring to the deaths of Dubey's five alleged accomplices in encounters with the police, news agency PTI reported.

IG, Civil Defence, Amitabh Thakur, said it was possible that Dubey might get killed in an encounter while trying to escape from police custody, thus closing the gangster's chapter. But this episode had brought to light the muck in UP police and there was a need to take action against those found guilty, he said.

"This is not an arrest but he has been saved from 'death'. It was a surrender made in a well-planned manner," Kamalkant Mishra, the brother-in-law of Devender Mishra told reporters.

"Nobody can compensate for the loss that we are facing but if the criminal has been arrested, it is a source of satisfaction for us," he said, adding, "I do not think that it is the end of the story rather, it is just the beginning".

The arrest happened in a very well-planned way as first Dubey was in Faridabad and in just 12 hours he reached the door of Mahakal (in Ujjain), Kamalkant Mishra said.

5:39 PM

Gangster Vikas Dubey's arrest suspicious, should be probed: Congress

5:15 PM

Now MP Minister faces heat over Vikas Dubey's surrender, Oppn says arrest 'stage-managed'

The war of words between the Congress and the BJP over dramatic surrender of Uttar Pradesh's most wanted gangster Vikas Dubey, has taken a turn for the worse. UP Congress, in a tweet, has named Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra as having allegedly facilitated the surrender of Dubey in Mahakaal temple at Ujjain. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi too raised questions on Mishra's role in the much-talked about surrender, according to an IANS report.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Mishra, in a tweet counter, attacked Congress for "it's narrow-minded views".

"Instead of congratulating MP police for arresting a dreaded gangster involved in killing of 8 police officers, Congress is questioning the very role of the police," he said in a tweet from his official handle as Minister of Home, Health and Family Welfare.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, presently known for her proactive approach in UP, also alleged that dramatic surrender of Dubey indicates a prevailing criminal-political nexus in the state which should be unearthed. She demanded a thorough probe by the CBI to unravel the political connection of the dreaded gangster.

On the other hand, BJP's principal opponent in UP, the Samajwadi Party (SP) alleged that after killing 8 police officers in a fierce encounter in Kanpur, Dubey fled to Madhya Pradesh's Datia and later, with help of his lawyers, stage-managed his surrender.

4:55 PM

I found out about his arrest through television: Vikas Dubey's mother

Sarla Devi, mother of Vikas Dubey, the main accused in the murder of eight policemen in Kanpur, on Thursday, said that she found out about his arrest through the television.

"The kids were watching TV and I overheard his name and found out that he had been arrested," Sarla Devi told ANI.

She also said that his in-laws are in Madhya Pradesh and added, "He visits the Mahakal Temple every year. Lord Mahakal has saved his life." When asked if she had an appeal for the authorities on what to do with Dubey, Sarla Devi said, "It doesn't matter what I say, the government is going to do what is appropriate." Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey was arrested in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh earlier today.

Bahua Dubey and Prabhat Mishra, close aides of Dubey, were killed in separate encounters in Etawah and Kanpur respectively. Shyamu Bajpai, also an aide to Dubey, was arrested by Chaubeypur police following an encounter on Wednesday. He carried a reward of Rs 25,000. Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) had gunned down Vikas Dubey's close aide Amar Dubey in Hamirpur district, earlier on Wednesday.

4:41 PM

Gangster Vikas Dubey’s mother says her son is a Samajwadi Party member; party denies claim

Gangster Vikas Dubey's mother Sarla Devi on Thursday said that her son, arrested for the Kanpur ambush, is with the SP, a claim denied by the party. Dubey was arrested in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Thursday after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down. Earlier, in a 2017 video seen on social media, the gangster is heard claiming that two BJP MLAs helped him in the past.

On being asked what should be done by the government after her son's arrest, Sarla Devi said, "The government should do whatever it feels appropriate (sarkar jo uchit samjhe, woh kare)."

At this time, he is not in the BJP, he is with the SP, she told reporters. Meanwhile, an SP spokesman said Vikas is "not a member of the party" and strict action should be taken against him. His call record details should be made public as demanded by party president Akhilesh Yadav to expose his links, added the party spokesperson.

4:33 PM