Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed and his close aide Ghulam’s killings on Thursday brought the total number of criminals neutralised in such “encounters” to 182 in the last six years of the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh.
According to figures released by the state government, the numbers also show that over 10,000 police encounters were recorded. In fact, counting Asad Ahmed and his aide, there were 10,714 encounters. The data shows that those killed in encounters were accused of serious offences.
Looking at the district-wise breakup, Meerut police had the highest number of encounters at 3,152 in which 63 accused were eliminated and 1,708 left injured. During these incidents, the data shows, one policeman was killed in the line of duty while 401 cops were hurt and 5,967 accused were arrested as a result of these encounters.
Agra had the second highest number of police encounters. The Taj district witnessed 1,844 encounters where police gunned down 14 accused and arrested 4,654. A total of 55 cops got hurt.
Bareilly has the third highest number of encounters at 1,497 in which seven accused were killed and 3,410 arrested. A policeman was killed during these encounters, while 296 cops and 437 accused sustained injuries.
Special director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar, while speaking about the data, said the state police had given a befitting reply to criminals. Since he became chief minister Yogi Adityanath has made the law and order situation in the state a priority, with a “zero tolerance policy for antisocial elements”.
In its sixth year now, the state government has made an effort to continue its crackdown on crime with 23 accused gunned down in police encounters and 1,256 injured between March 16, 2022, and March 15, 2023.
Besides, property worth Rs 1,849.28 crore has been seized, demolished and freed from illegal possession from mafiosos, gangsters and criminal elements in the same time period.
“Other than a befitting reply to criminals if they attacked police, 3,052 criminals carrying a reward on their head have been arrested during this period. These include 2,749 criminals who were carrying a reward of Rs 25,000, 267 criminals carrying a reward between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000, and 36 criminals over Rs 50,000,” Kumar said.
He said 12,513 accused had been arrested in 3,903 cases under the Gangster Act and 126 arrested in cases related to the National Security Act (NSA). At least 66 mafiosos and their gang members had been identified during this period, he added.
Kumar further said the police acted against 354 mafiosos and their gang members in 186 cases registered against them, of which 94 were arrested, 61 booked under the Goonda Act and 138 booked under the Gangster Act while the NSA was imposed against nine.
A total of 13 mafiosos and 21 of their aides were convicted and sentenced to life in jail and handed out other sentences, while two got the death penalty in 28 different cases over the past year, the DGP said.
Crackdown on drugs and illicit liquor
Kumar also said the special crackdown began on January 1, 2022, and till March 12, 2023, 13,787 NDPS cases had been registered while contraband amounting to Rs 479.67 crore was seized from different parts of the state. He said 310 cases of the Gangster Act were registered against 1,448 people involved in peddling drugs.
A similar crackdown was launched on the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor, in which 1,06,952 cases were registered and illicit liquor as well as material used in its manufacturing worth Rs 108.75 crore was seized, Kumar said. A total of 423 cases had been registered under the Gangster Act against 1,377 people involved in the sale and manufacturing of illicit liquor.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah praised Adityanath for “improving” the state’s law and order situation in the state at the Global Investors’ Summit in Lucknow. They said a better law and order situation had helped the state attract more investment.
Samajwadi Party secretary and spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary, however, said the law and order situation had worsened under the Adityanath-led BJP government.
“This government is all propaganda. It has been claimed that criminals and mafia have left the state, but nothing has changed and they all continue to strike at will,” Chaudhary said.
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