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The antagonist of Friday morning’s carnage at Chaubepur (Kanpur), Vikas Dubey exhibited aggressive traits since his early teens which came in handy as he took to the grisly alleys of crime and gore.
A native of Bikru village of Chaubepur in Kanpur, Dubey was involved in more than 60 cases of heinous crimes in Kanpur and other cities of Uttar Pradesh over two decades. Left with no choice, the police brass announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for his arrest.
Dubey’s major escapades, which earned him obvious notoriety in Kanpur and adjoining areas, included the murder of then Labour Contract Board Chairman (with state minister’s status) Santosh Shukla inside Sheoli police station of Kanpur Dehat in 2001. Despite the grisly crime being committed in the afternoon that too in the presence of a number of cops, Dubey’s terror was such that the police witnesses turned hostile during trial and as a result, he walked free.
The same year, Dubey snuffed out a manager of a local intermediate college and followed it up with the daylight murder of a cable operator.
The strong man’s criminal prowess soon attracted political attention. Dubey was happy to oblige and dabbled in village and panchayat level politics. He was first elected a village pradhan and later became member of district panchayat owing to the backing from two regional parties. After he decided to distance himself from politics his wife took over the mantle and was elected a district panchayat member with the backing of a regional political party.