‘Crackdown on Jawahar Bagh encroachers not planned for June 2’
The state government transferred the DM, along with the SSP, on Monday amid growing criticism of an ‘ill-planned’ police operation that led to a ferocious counter-attack by Yadav and his followers.
Outgoing Mathura district magistrate Rajesh Kumar on Tuesday said the police crackdown on encroachers in Jawahar Bagh, where two police officials and over two dozen others were killed in clashes last week, was not planned for the “fateful” day but for some other date “very soon”.
Outgoing Mathura district magistrate Rajesh Kumar on Tuesday said the police crackdown on encroachers in Jawahar Bagh, where two police officials and over two dozen others were killed in clashes last week, was not planned for the “fateful” day but for some other date “very soon”. (Hindustan Times Photo)
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“We had already arranged 15 companies of the PAC/RAF (Provincial Armed Constabulary/Rapid Action Force) but were waiting for the two women RAF companies to come and begin the police operation in Jawahar Bagh,” he said.
The state government transferred the DM, along with the SSP, on Monday amid growing criticism of an ‘ill-planned’ police operation that led to a ferocious counter-attack by Yadav and his followers.
Kumar maintained that the events on June 2 “just happened”. He refused to talk about other related issues, saying he was not supposed to speak much till the inquiry into the matter was complete.
He added the police were only taking stock of the pre-operation situation by patrolling the area on June 2, identifying the entry points for the force and the exit points for the encroachers, apart from making some other preparations before starting the operation to evict the squatters.
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“However, the encroachers got provoked by the police movement and killed two police officers, including SP city Mukul Dwivedi,” the former Mathura DM said, adding, “The SP city had six companies of the PAC with him when he walked into the park. But the personnel with him somehow got demoralised at that crucial moment.”
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“However, the encroachers got provoked by the police movement and killed two police officers, including SP city Mukul Dwivedi,” the former Mathura DM said, adding, “The SP city had six companies of the PAC with him when he walked into the park. But the personnel with him somehow got demoralised at that crucial moment.”
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However, there are many who praise Kumar for taking a stand on the issue.
Brajendra K Parashar is a Senior Journalist with the Hindustan Times, based in Lucknow, with nearly three decades of experience covering governance, public policy, politics and development in Uttar Pradesh. Over the years, he has reported extensively on key sectors, including energy and renewable power, mobility and transport, road safety, agriculture and allied sectors and issues related to farmers, rural development, taxation under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and public administration. A seasoned political correspondent, Parashar closely tracks the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has covered every major election in Uttar Pradesh right from three-tier panchayat elections and urban local body polls to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He also reports regularly on the proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, bureaucracy, governance, policy decisions and administrative developments with focus on their impact on public life. His reporting is known for its strong analytical approach, extensive use of official data. His areas of interests include investigative journalism, long-form political and policy analysis, data-driven reporting, elections and institutional reforms. Parashar holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science with First Division from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), followed by a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from the same university. His inclination towards journalism began during his student days, when he regularly contributed letters to editors and articles to newspapers and magazines. In the mid-1990S, his essay, “Should India Switch Over to the Presidential Form Of Government?”, published in Politics India magazine edited by noted constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap, was adjudged the best entry in a national competition. His work has received professional recognition, including the Hindustan Times Journalist of the Month Award for an impactful series on drinking water issues during the 2010 Lok Sabha election campaign. Originally from Kasganj in western Uttar Pradesh, Parashar is currently based in Lucknow where continues to report on politics, governance and public policy.
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