From Mahakal Temple to Kanpur encounter: Tracing Vikas Dubey’s last moments in details

Vikas Dubey killed in a police encounter
Image: Indiatoday

Gangster Vikas Dubey, who was arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Thursday morning, was killed in an encounter on Friday after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot, a senior police official said.

Inspector General of Police (Kanpur) Mohit Agarwal said Dubey was killed in the encounter after he tried to flee from the spot following the road accident at Barra area in Kanpur.

ADG Kanpur range, J N Singh said, “Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital.” After the accident, Dubey snatched the pistol of an STF personnel and tried to flee but was surrounded by the police team and he was injured in an exchange of fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

Let us try to trace the dreaded gangster’s last moments:

Dubey, wanted in connection with the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were killed, was arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Thursday. He was spotted at the town’s famous Mahakal temple by the security guards, who informed the police.

In a strange twist of irony, Dubey, reportedly had come to the temple to atone for his sins. According to sources present at the temple, Dubey purchased a temple ticket for Rs 250 to enter the complex. Meanwhile, a priest at the temple and a security guard have two different stories to tell. While the security guard said he tried coming from the back gate and was recognised before getting a darshan, following which the police was alerted, the priest said that he visited the temple’s sanctum sanctorum and got the darshan. However, it is clear that he did not try to put a fight when the police arrived.

Ujjain SP Manoj Kumar Singh, in a press conference on Thursday evening, said Dubey had reached the temple and purchased flowers and prasad from a shop, as well as buying a Rs 250 ticket for darshan. “The owner had seen him on TV and suspected him. He called up the private security agency at the temple and informed them,” explained Singh.

“When he entered, the private security jawans informed our officials at Mahakal Chowki and started talking to him and asked his name. He gave them a false name but later gave his correct name. He was taken to Police station. We reached there and interrogated him seriously,” he adds.

Singh said that as a final confirmatory step, they had contacted the Kanpur SSP and STF and sought his photo. When the STF reached here, he was handed over.

According to news agency ANI, Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) team along with Dubey had reached Kanpur on Friday morning after which the encounter took place at Barra area.

On Thursday, Bahua Dubey and Prabhat Mishra, close aides of the main accused, were killed in separate encounters in Etawah and Kanpur respectively.

Dubey’s other aide Shyamu Bajpai was arrested by the Chaubeypur police following an encounter. He carried a reward of Rs 25,000, the police informed on Wednesday. Earlier the same day, Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) gunned down Vikas Dubey’s close aide Amar Dubey in Hamirpur district.

(With input from Agencies)

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