Encounters fuel poll narrative as UP re-arms ‘zero tolerance’ pitch

With the 2027 assembly polls approaching, a sharper pattern has emerged: high-profile crimes that trigger public outrage, particularly those involving women and children, are increasingly followed by intensive police operations and, in many cases, encounters

LUCKNOW Encounters have long been a prominent part of the UP Police’s response to organised crime, gangsters, professional shooters and repeat offenders since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister in 2017. But with the 2027 assembly polls approaching, a sharper pattern has emerged: high-profile crimes that trigger public outrage, particularly those involving women and children, are increasingly followed by intensive police operations and, in many cases, encounters.

Forensic team and police personnel inspect the encounter site where a motorcycle lies on the ground after two prime shooters in the Ankit Balyan murder case were killed, in Shamli recently. (ANI Video Grab)

The political messaging around the approach has also become more explicit.

Adityanath has repeatedly warned offenders against harassing or attacking women and girls. In one of his most widely quoted warnings, he said if anyone violated a girl’s safety, “Yamraj” would be waiting for him at the next crossing. Such remarks have reinforced his government’s law-and-order pitch that criminals will face swift and uncompromising consequences.

The message has acquired renewed significance with a series of encounters this year involving suspects accused of shocking crimes.

The latest was in Shamli, where two alleged sharp shooters, Mohit and Sumit, linked to the August 26 murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan, died during treatment after being injured in an exchange of fire with police early on Monday, according to police.

The encounter narrative after 2017 initially centred largely on gangsters, organised crime syndicates, land mafia and professional shooters. It later expanded to robbery gangs, repeat offenders and suspects accused of attacking police personnel.

In 2026, many encounters followed crimes that generated intense public anger. On August 1, a 12-year-old Class 4 student was allegedly abducted, raped and murdered in Bulandshahr. Police killed the accused, Monu, 35, in an exchange of fire less than 24 hours after announcing a ₹50,000 reward for his arrest.

The pattern extends further back. On April 20, Ghaziabad police killed Jeeshan, 55, wanted in an alleged rape and murder case involving his four-year-old niece. On May 4, Ambedkar Nagar police killed Aamir, 19, accused of murdering a woman and her four children.

Two days later, Hardoi police killed Mahnoor, 29, accused of abducting, sexually assaulting and murdering a seven-year-old boy.

On May 31, Ghaziabad police killed Asad, accused of murdering 17-year-old Class 11 student Surya Pratap Chauhan. On June 22-23, Satpal alias Sattu, an accused whom Muzaffarnagar police described as a serial rapist and habitual offender, was injured in an encounter and died during treatment.

Across these cases, the broad sequence has been similar: a serious crime sparks public anger, police launch an intensive search and the operation ends, according to police accounts, in an armed confrontation.

There is no publicly established evidence that encounters are ordered for electoral considerations. The police position remains that officers attempt to arrest suspects and use lethal force only when they face armed resistance or an imminent threat.

According to police figures, 314 alleged criminals were killed in encounters in UP since March 2017. Forty-nine were killed in encounters in the first eight months of 2026, exceeding the figure of 48 for the entire 2025.

The government has consistently presented encounters alongside arrests, prosecution and convictions as components of its “zero tolerance” policy. The BJP has also used law and order to contrast its government with previous regimes, repeatedly invoking the “goonda raj” narrative.

Mission Shakti and Operation Conviction provided institutional pillars to the broader messaging on women’s safety and criminal justice, while encounters remain its most visible component.

Questions over ‘half-encounter’ model

The approach has faced serious judicial scrutiny. In August, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court ordered a CBI inquiry into an alleged “half-encounter” in Shravasti involving an accused who was shot in both legs. The court questioned a recurring feature of police encounter accounts in which officers remain unhurt while the accused is hit in the legs, often below the knee, asking how officers could so consistently achieve such precise shooting.

It directed the CBI to assess the shooting capability of the cop concerned, including whether he could accurately fire a 9mm service pistol from 15 metres at night merely by hearing a weapon being loaded.

An encounter, injury or death cannot by itself establish guilt. A police claim of firing in self-defence also requires independent scrutiny through forensic evidence, ballistic examination, CCTV footage and other investigation.

For the Yogi Adityanath government, encounters have evolved beyond being merely a policing tactic. They have become a visible symbol of its claim that criminals can no longer operate with impunity.

Their political resonance is strongest when an encounter follows a crime involving a woman or child, allowing the government to demonstrate a rapid state response to cases that have generated intense public anger. But the durability of the “zero tolerance” model will depend on more than the number of criminals killed. Its broader test will be whether swift policing is accompanied by credible investigation, successful prosecution, convictions and accountability when allegations are made against police personnel.

DGP Rajeev Krishna said the police’s policy was firmly rooted in law and due process.

“The UP Police follows a clear policy of zero tolerance towards heinous crime, particularly offences against women and children as well as organised crime. This goes along with addressing women’s grievances at Mission Shakti Kendra in every police station. Our priority in every case is to identify, arrest and bring the accused to justice through due process. Police personnel are required to act strictly within the law. Our message is unequivocal: no criminal will be allowed to operate with impunity, and every crime will receive a swift, professional, lawful and effective police response,” he said.

With Uttar Pradesh heading towards the 2027 assembly elections, encounters are likely to remain both a policing statistic and an important element of the government’s law-and-order narrative. The central challenge will be whether the state can maintain swift police action while satisfying judicial scrutiny, due process and demands for independent accountability.

‘No criminal allowed to challenge law and order’

“Encounters are not the state policy of this government. But elimination becomes necessary when criminals become law unto themselves and pose a threat to society at large. This government made it clear from day one — no criminal will be allowed to challenge law and order and roam free after committing a heinous crime. Only those criminals who threaten society and challenge the state’s law and order are being neutralised.”

Anand Dubey, state spokesperson, BJP

‘Encounters rising...govt must clarify’

“We support genuine encounters in self-defence, but the rule of law cannot be replaced by ‘thok do’. Allegations of disproportionate killings of PDA communities and custodial deaths raise serious concerns over extrajudicial action. With encounters rising ahead of 2027, the government must clarify whether this is crime control or political image-building.”

Abbas Haider, spokesperson, SP