Jitendra Yadav, 26, was shot by a UP Police officer eight months ago in Noida. The bullet injured his spine, causing him to be paralysed from the waist down. In the wake of Vivek Tiwari’s murder in Lucknow, Yadav has expressed a complete lack of hope in the Yogi Adityanath government.
Yadav told Economic Times, “This case only reinforces the way the UP police has been functioning lately – trigger-happy and reckless and destroying lives – like mine.”
Yadav used to run a gym in Noida and earn Rs 70,000 a month before his paralysis. Now, his business and his health are failing.
Yadav was given many assurances by the government, but except for his initial hospital charges being covered, no further help was given. Union Minister and Noida MP Mahesh Sharma had even visited Yadav in the hospital.
“The Minister had then said the government will stand by me till I do not stand on my feet. The government did clear the hospital bill while I was there but abandoned me thereafter. No further compensation was given to me. Now, I am spending Rs 50000 a month on my medical treatment from my own pocket. The Ministers and MLAs who came to see me then, do not even give time now,” Yadav told ET.
He is spending Rs 25,000 a month on his medical treatment, paid wholly out of his own pocket. “Whenever I try to stand, I collapse. Doctors can’t say when I will be all right. I have spent Rs 18 lakh on my treatment and the court case so far. I have to ensure the cop does not get away,” he said.
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The policeman who shot Yadav was charged and is in jail. “But three of his team members who were along with him that night are free. The case was meant to be under Section 307 (attempt to murder) but has been diluted to Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide),” Yadav told ET.
According to Yadav, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed regret, but didn’t give any assurance.