U.P. DGP says 238 criminals have been killed and 9,467 shot in leg in 14,973 encounters since 2017

A total of 238 criminals have been killed in nearly 15,000 encounters in Uttar Pradesh since 2017, when the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the State, according to data shared by the police on Thursday.

“Over the past eight years, 14,973 operations have been carried out, resulting in the arrest of 30,694 criminals. Of these, 9,467 who attacked the police were shot in the leg while 238 were killed in encounters,” said Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna.

‘Aggressive crackdown’

The force has ensured an “aggressive crackdown on crime” under the Chief Minister’s directions, the DGP added.

The police chief said that the highest number of encounters took place in west U.P.’s Meerut zone, where 7,969 criminals were arrested and 2,911 injured. “In the Agra zone, 5,529 criminals were arrested, ofwhom741 were injured, and in the Bareilly zone, 4,383 criminals were caught, ofwhom921 were injured,” Mr. Krishna said in a statement.

He said that the Chief Minister had made it clear that “criminals have no place in Uttar Pradesh. They must either give up crime or leave the State”.

The statement added that under Mr. Adityanath, U.P. had achieved the best “law enforcement record in the country”.

Responding to the police’s claims over law and order, the Opposition Congress termed many of the encounters fake.

‘NHRC must step in’

“The police must also put out figures about the caste and other social details of the individuals targeted in these encounters. We believe that people from social segments seen to be against the present regime face the brunt of police action. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) must take cognisance of the report and seek more details,” said Shahnawaz Alam, national secretary, Congress.