In last seven years, firm resolve, tough measures and a ‘never to die’ political will has borne fruits. The Yogi Adityanath government, which came to power in 2017 amidst acute chaos in the Hindi heartland, created largely by mafia enjoying political patronage, true to its commitment, showed the door to criminals, who either changed their track, left the state or came across police encounters.
One listed criminal killed every 13th day in encounter
The scorecard of ‘law enforcement’ showed a whopping 12,964 police encounters been executed in one of India’s most lawless states, and counting. Uttar Pradesh since 2017 witnessed a significant 207 criminals being killed while 17 policemen also lost their lives in the ordeal.
Reports revealed, on an average, a listed criminal was killed every 13th day in encounters between March 20, 2017 and September 5, 2024. The range of cash reward between Rs 75,000 and Rs 5 lakh was announced for the arrest of most of these criminals.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar informed that the UP Police followed the guidelines of the Supreme Court in encounters and not a single encounter conducted by the police since 2017 has come under the scrutiny of the apex court.
Meerut zone topped in state with a maximum of 3,723 encounters
Amongst different zones of state, Meerut zone topped the state with a maximum number of 3,723 encounters taking place since 2017, resulting in elimination of 66 criminals besides arrest of 7,017 of them. UP Police succeeded in arresting a significant 27,117 miscreants post encounters between March 20, 2017 and September 5, 2024. A total of 1,601 criminals were injured in these police encounters.
41 criminals carrying cash award killed in encounters
In the last seven years, UP Police killed two criminals with a reward of Rs five lakh, four criminals with a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, two criminals with a reward of Rs two lakh, six criminals with a reward of Rs 1.5 lakh and 27 criminals with a reward of Rs one lakh.
17 police personnel killed in encounters
A total of 17 policemen were also killed in action, while another 1,601 policemen were injured by bullets during the same period in the mentioned police encounters.
Dreaded dacoit Uday Bhan Yadav carrying Rs 5 lakh award, 50 cases killed
DGP Prashant Kumar informed that under the policy of zero tolerance against crime and extensive campaigns of criminals, action has been taken against gang lords and mafias by UP Police since 2017. Campaigns are being conducted against gangsters. He said that in the campaign against criminals, dreaded dacoit Uday Bhan Yadav alias Gauri Yadav, whose reign of terror extended to the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, was killed in a police encounter in Chitrakoot. UP Police had announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head besides nearly 50 cases were registered against him, most of which were pertained to robbery and attempt to murder.
Another criminal Balraj Bhati carrying Rs 2.5 lakh reward and booked in nearly 20 cases, mostly of murder, extortion and attempt to murder in state, was also killed in police encounter.
