Hours before Uttar Pradesh’s most wanted gangster and the main accused in the killing of eight policemen last week, Vikas Dubey was shot dead on Friday morning as he was being brought to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, a plea was moved in the Supreme Court on Thursday night, seeking security for the gangster, as it expressed apprehension of Dubey’s encounter killing and sought Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.

The plea was filed in the apex court by advocate and petitioner-in-person Ghanshyam Upadhyay seeking urgent hearing on the matter.

He also sought directions for the Uttar Pradesh government to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing/alleged encounter of five aides of gangster Vikas Dubey who might have been involved in the killing of eight policemen in Kanpur on July 3.

Dubey, who had been absconding since the shootout, was arrested from Mahakaal Mandir in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Thursday morning.

On Friday morning, Dubey was killed after being critically injured in an alleged shootout with STF officials on way to Kanpur.

The incident happened after one of the cars in the police convoy overturned. The police allegedly fired at Dubey after he attempted to flee the scene.

The plea contended that the debates on news channels indicate that Dubey got himself arrested by Madhya Pradesh police to avoid his encounter by Uttar Pradesh police.

“Thus, there is every possibility that even accused Vikas Dubey shall be killed by Uttar Pradesh Police like other co-accused once his custody is obtained by Uttar Pradesh Police. Since, killing of the accused by the police in the name of encounter even in howsoever heinous crime is against the rule of law and serious violation of human right and this is nothing short of Talibanisation of the country and hence the instant petition,” said the plea.

The plea further contended, “Punishing the accused/culprit after his crime being proved, is the function of the competent court of law and thus, police cannot usurp jurisdiction to itself to punish the accused by killing him in the name of encounter before his crime being proved in accordance with law.”

The petitioner urged the top court to direct the UP police to register an FIR in the incident further killing of five co-accused, who were alleged to be involved in killing of eight policemen and transfer the investigations to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The hunt for Dubey and his aides started off after eight Uttar Pradesh Police personnel were shot dead and at least seven others were seriously injured including a civilian as they went to arrest local criminal Vikas Dubey and his gang in the wee hours of July 3.

Gangster Dubey was allegedly was informed about the raid beforehand. It is said that Vikas Dubey had received a tip-off from the police station about the impending raid after which he prepared for the attack on cops.

This, incidentally, was one of the biggest attacks on a police team in the state in recent years and had sent shock waves in the state.

Vikas Dubey was a notorious criminal with over 60 cases against him, including murder charges, but he always managed to escape the law.