Lucknow: It is a state where ‘encounters’ happen at the toss of coin. Guns and bullets fly from different angles and Uttar Pradesh can easily be called a state of ‘Encounter Raj’. In the last three years 122 alleged criminals have been killed in over 6,000 encounters in Uttar Pradesh. Thirteen policemen also lost their lives during this period, a senior police official informed. Also in the encounters more than 2,000 criminals have been injured in police action. Through encounters police have managed to nab over 13,000 criminals.
Official statement
“Thirteen policemen have been killed in action in 6,126 encounters (in UP). Also 122 criminals have been gunned down,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said. He was sharing details of police encounters from March 20, 2017, to July 10, 2020.
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“A total of 13,361 criminals have been arrested, while 2,296 criminals were injured in police encounters. Also adding 909 policemen were also injured in these incidents,” Kumar added.
Bikru village ambush
Kumar also referred to the Bikru village ambush in which eight policemen were killed. “Of the 21 named accused in the incident, six have been killed and four arrested so far.
A hunt is on to nab the 11 other accused,” said Kumar. Eight police personnel, including a DSP, were gunned down by the henchmen of gangster Vikas Dubey in Bikru village. The incident happened July 3. Seven others, including a civilian, were injured in the attack.
Dubey was later killed in an encounter July 10. Police claimed that he tried to escape from the spot where the vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur overturned.
Decline in crime rate
Kumar said overall there has been a decline in the crime rate in Uttar Pradesh this year compared to the last year.
“A total of 579 instances of loot took place from January 1, 2020, to June 15, 2020. This is 44.17 per cent less compared to the crimes committed in the same period in 2019,” the ADG said.
He informed 33 incidents of dacoity have been reported in UP this year so far. “It is 37.74 per cent less compared to the crimes committed in the same period in 2019,” said Kumar. He added that 1,019 dowry-related deaths have taken place this year. It is a 6.34 per cent decline compared to the previous year. So far 913 incidents of rape have been reported in UP this year. It is a decline of 25.41 per cent compared to the last year, Kumar said.