Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rushed to Kanpur on Friday to meet the family members of the slain policemen and announced financial assistance of Rs one crore each to the bereaved families.
Eight police personnel, including a DSP, were gunned down in a village near the city by the henchmen of a criminal who lost two of them in a firefight later, officials said.
Seven others, including a civilian, were injured in the attack from a rooftop on a police team after it entered Bikru village past Thursday midnight to arrest Vikas Dubey, a history-sheeter who faces about 60 criminal cases.
Promising that those behind the heinous crime will not be let off, the chief minister said a government job would be given to a member of each of the bereaved families, besides extraordinary pension.
Stressing that the government was with the families, Adityanath said it would work to ensure that justice was done and those behind the crime were punished as per the law.
"Some of the weapons which the miscreants had fled with have been recovered. None of those responsible for this heinous act will be let off and the sacrifice of the slain policemen will not be allowed to go in vain. The brave jawans were killed while they had gone for carrying out a raid as part of their duty," he said.
Earlier, Adityanath also visited the hospital to meet the injured policemen.
"We have assured the families that the government is with them in this hour of loss," the chief minister said.
While terming the death of the policeman in the encounter most unfortunate, DGP Hitesh Chandra Awasthi said those responsible would be arrested soon.
"Police are working on it. Two criminals have already been killed in encounter. The boundaries have been sealed and the SSP is supervising teams. Police operations are on since the morning. STF (Special Task Force) team from Lucknow has also arrived here," the DGP said.
Talking to newspersons on arrival, he said, "An earthmover machine had been parked to block the path. Taking advantage of the darkness, policemen were attacked. Whatever happened has not been done without a planned conspiracy."
"A forensic team has arrived from Lucknow and the local forensic team is also investigating. The STF has also been involved," he said.
To a question if the criminals had prior information of the police raid, the DGP said all angles were being looked into.
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