New Delhi, Jul 11 (IANS): After concerted attack by the opposition parties, with terming the Vikas Dubey encounter as ‘cover up, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has come out strongly in support of the Uttar Pradesh government, calling it an act in "self-defence".

Swamy tweeted, "There is howling against UP CM because of the killing of gangster Dubey. Police claim it to be in self-defence. Why are Congi and others wanting inquiry?"

BSP supremo Mayawati, who recently backed the Centre's handling of the India-China tensions, has demanded a "high-level inquiry" into the alleged encounter.

Mayawati said the inquiry should be conducted under the Supreme Court's supervision, adding that the need for the same arises not just to know the truth, but also to "determine the police-criminal-politician nexus".

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also said that it is "necessary to find out" the truth.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi said that though the culprit has been killed, it is important to find out who gave him patronage.

But Swamy has backed the Yogi Adityanath government, based on Dubey's criminal history. He said, "Police may have been jumpy but Dubey had killed so many policemen. So trigger happy self-defence is understandable."

Dubey was wanted for the massacre of eight policemen in Bikru village on July 3 and was being brought to Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh from where he was taken into custody on Thursday.

The UP Police said that the car in which Dubey was travelling overturned and he and other policemen were injured. The criminal snatched a gun from an injured cop and tried to escape, the police said. He was surrounded and asked to surrender but he opened fire, forcing retaliatory shooting in which he was killed.