'Should Cops Take Bullets Now?' Yogi Adityanath Backs Encounters As UP Count Crosses 15,000

Last Updated:February 04, 2026, 16:50 IST

The UP chief minister said law enforcement personnel are often forced to act in self defence & questioning their action without understanding ground realities demoralises the force

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (PTI)

“If the police do not fire bullets, should they take bullets instead?" With this one line, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has once again brought the state’s encounter policy into the political spotlight, delivering a blunt message to critics questioning police action against criminals.

The remark comes against the backdrop of over 15,000 police encounters since 2017 and counting, a figure that highlights the Yogi government’s zero-tolerance approach to crime and signals how law and order is set to dominate the political narrative ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.

UP’s political analysts, however, called Yogi’s remark a strategic political signal rather than a spontaneous outburst, stating that the statement is designed to reinforce his image as a decisive, no-nonsense administrator sending a clear message that law and order will remain the BJP’s core electoral plank in 2027.

Yogi’s Statement

Defending the police force, Yogi Adityanath said law enforcement personnel are often forced to act in self-defence. “Police do not go out to shoot anyone. But when criminals fire at the police, they will respond. If the police do not fire bullets, should they take bullets instead?" he asked, rejecting allegations of ‘fake encounters’.

He further said questioning police action without understanding ground realities only demoralises the force. “Those sitting in air-conditioned rooms should understand what happens on the streets. Our police face armed criminals daily," Yogi said, asserting that every action taken by the police follows legal procedure.

The chief minister also underlined that encounters are not a policy directive but situational responses. “There is no encounter policy. There is only the right of self-defence," he said, reiterating that all cases are subject to investigation as per Supreme Court guidelines.

In a detailed statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government in October 2025, the Yogi Adityanath-led administration claimed that since the chief minister assumed office in 2017, the state has witnessed 15,726 police encounters over the past eight-and-a-half years. According to the government, these operations led to the elimination of 256 hardened criminals, the arrest of 31,960 accused, and injuries to 10,324 criminals.

The statement said the police have followed a “zero-tolerance policy towards crime" since 2017. “Since the Yogi government assumed office, the police have maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward crime. Over the past eight and a half years, 256 hardened criminals have been eliminated in encounters," the government said, describing the drive as a sustained campaign against organised and habitual offenders.

The government also released zone-wise encounter data, offering a granular picture of policing across Uttar Pradesh. As per the data, the Meerut Zone recorded the highest number of encounters at 4,453, resulting in 8,312 arrests, 3,131 criminals injured, and 85 notorious criminals eliminated. The statement added that during these operations, two police personnel were martyred and 461 injured in the zone.

The Varanasi Zone ranked second with 1,108 encounters, leading to 2,128 arrests, 27 criminals killed, and 688 injured. As many as 99 police personnel were injured during operations in the zone, the government said.

In the Agra Zone, the police conducted 2,374 encounters in the last eight years, resulting in 5,631 arrests, 22 criminals killed, and 816 injured, while 59 police personnel sustained injuries.

Under the commissionerate system, the Lucknow zone reported 846 encounters, in which 17 dangerous criminals were killed, while the Prayagraj zone recorded 572 encounters, leading to the elimination of 10 criminals, according to the official statement.

Beyond encounters, the government said law-enforcement agencies have aggressively pursued property seizures, cases under the Gangsters Act, and the enforcement of stringent laws such as the National Security Act (NSA) to dismantle criminal networks and their economic base.

“Under the zero-tolerance policy against crime and criminals, this eight-and-a-half-year-long campaign has not only yielded statistical success but has also established the rule of law on the ground. The police’s swift, firm, and courageous actions have forced many criminals to leave the state, and Uttar Pradesh is strengthening its identity as a safe and fear-free state," the Uttar Pradesh government said.

However, for the BJP, these figures are not merely administrative data points but political proof of governance—frequently cited in speeches, campaign material, and official reviews to argue that the state has moved decisively away from what it calls the ‘jungle raj’ of earlier years.

Opposition Pushback & Akhilesh Yadav Factor

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has emerged as the most vocal critic of Yogi’s encounter-centric approach. He has accused the BJP government of promoting ‘bulldozer and encounter justice’ and alleged that minorities and marginalised communities are disproportionately targeted.

“The BJP wants to run the state through fear. Law and order cannot be enforced by encounters alone," Yadav has said on multiple occasions, demanding judicial probes and greater transparency. The SP also stated that genuine reform lies in strengthening investigation, prosecution, and the judicial process rather than relying on what it calls ‘instant justice’.

How the Remark Shapes the 2027 Political Narrative

Political analyst Dr Shashikant Pandey, head of the department of political science, believes Yogi Adityanath’s remark is a strategic political signal rather than a spontaneous outburst.

“This statement is designed to reinforce Yogi Adityanath’s image as a decisive, no-nonsense administrator. It sends a clear message that law and order will remain the BJP’s core electoral plank in 2027," Pandey said.

According to Pandey, the chief minister is deliberately framing the political discourse in binaries. “The narrative is simple and effective—police versus criminals, security versus chaos. By doing this, Yogi puts the opposition in a defensive position where questioning encounters can be portrayed as sympathy for criminals," he explained.

Pandey added that for a large section of Uttar Pradesh’s electorate—particularly traders, women, and urban middle-class voters—the encounter narrative symbolises the return of state authority. “Yogi’s statement appeals to voters who prioritise safety over procedural debates. This sentiment has electoral value and the BJP knows it," he said.

On the ground, Yogi Adityanath’s hardline stance continues to find resonance in many parts of the state. In cities like Kanpur, Meerut, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur and Lucknow, traders and residents often credit the encounter-driven approach for reducing fear of extortion and gang violence. As Uttar Pradesh moves closer to the 2027 assembly elections, the chief minister’s latest remark makes one thing clear—the BJP has no intention of softening its law-and-order pitch.

News politics 'Should Cops Take Bullets Now?' Yogi Adityanath Backs Encounters As UP Count Crosses 15,000

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