The deceased's family claimed that Rs 30 lakh ransom was paid for his release in the presence of cops. However, the police said the allegation was not true.

'The motive of Vikas Dubey was to flee and attack the cops again. This triggered self-defence leading to the encounter,' Uttar Pradesh Police told the Supreme Court.

A probe has been launched into the incident after the family of the victim alleged that they paid the abductors Rs 30 lakh, while the Kanpur police were present at the spot and did nothing to rescue their kin.

A bench by Chief Justice of India may consider appointing a committee to inquire into the encounters of Vikas Dubey, his aides as well as the killing of eight Uttar Pradesh policemen by the gangster.

Former Uttar Pradesh DGP, Arvind Kumar Jain, in an exclusive interview tells Outlook why the elimination of gangster Vikas Dubey, responsible for killing eight policemen in Kanpur, was necessary to boost the morale of the police force.

'A herd of cows and buffaloes suddenly came in front of the vehicle and the driver swerved the vehicle causing it to overturn,' UP Police said in statement after questions were raised over the events that led to the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey's killing.

Soon after gangster Vikas Dubey was arrested in Madhya Pradesh, several Twitter users had predicted he would be killed in an 'encounter'. Less than 24 hours later, the predictions came true.

Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot, police said.

Gangster Vikas Dubey was shot dead by police who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur.

The petitioner had expressed apprehension of Vikas Dubey's encounter killing. Hours later, the gangster was killed after being critically injured in an alleged shootout with STF officials.

In the first 18 months of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, 67 people were killed in more than 1500 police encounters. The intolerance against a particular community is evident

Politicisation has drained the police of public trust and made them into a partisan tool, writes Editor-in-chief Ruben Banerjee.