In the murder of three members of the Tiwari family in Lucknow’s Saadatganj area on Monday, a new video that emerged on Thursday showed the suspect firing five rounds in about 22 seconds in broad daylight as people watched or filmed.
One of the victims was the RSS’s district office-bearer in Lucknow, news agency PTI reported. On Tuesday, Saadatganj station house officer (SHO) Santosh Kumar Arya and Kashmiri Mohalla outpost in-charge Ajay Kumar Chaurasia were suspended. Shukla first fired two shots, then reloaded his pistol and fired three more, the viral clip showed. The three victims were taken to the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) Trauma Centre, where they died. Police detained Shukla at the spot and later arrested him. A separate video showing police taking him into custody is also circulating on social media. An FIR was registered on the complaint of Ruchi Tiwari, wife of Shivendra Tiwari. Several BJP leaders and people linked with the RSS met the victims’ families, who held a protest demanding justice.
Shivaji Tiwari, 62, Shivendra Tiwari, 55, and Suyash Tiwari, 30, were killed when Shukla, 30, allegedly opened fire around 10.30 am on October 26 following an argument between two groups over parking a car on a vacant plot, police said.
Police said they recovered the pistol allegedly used in the firing and four empty cartridges from Shukla, who has been arrested. Police said Shukla had served as a navigation officer in the merchant navy. Police said eight people have been named in the case, which includes charges of murder and rioting. “The action has been taken by Lucknow Police Commissioner Tarun Gauba in view of the seriousness of Monday’s incident,” Lucknow Police said in a statement.
