Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has defended his police force following the controversial death of Mangesh Yadav, a Yadav youth, in what has been described as an “encounter” killing.
The incident occurred on 5 September in Sultanpur, where the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) shot and killed Yadav. The police claim Yadav was involved in a gang responsible for a recent armed robbery at a jewellery shop, but questions have emerged regarding the legitimacy of the encounter, The Wire reported.
The killing has sparked outrage, particularly from the Yadav community and the Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP). Both have challenged the police's account, accusing the authorities of targeting Yadavs and fabricating the circumstances around the killing.
Mangesh Yadav’s family has also alleged that he was forcibly taken from his home and kept in illegal police custody for two days before being killed in what they describe as a staged shootout.
The incident has fuelled political tensions, with the SP claiming that the police are unfairly targeting members of the Yadav community in criminal cases. While Yadav was shot dead, three other co-accused, including individuals from other castes, were only shot in the leg and subsequently arrested. The main suspect in the case, Vipin Singh, surrendered to a local court, which has further intensified allegations of bias.
The case has gained significant attention in the run-up to assembly by-poll elections, with Adityanath defending his government’s tough stance on crime. He stated that his administration would continue to pursue criminals with an iron hand, justifying the police action as necessary to maintain law and order.
The chief minister has been vocal about his commitment to clamping down on organised crime and frequently boasts about his government’s strict measures to eliminate lawbreakers.
Yadav’s death is tied to a jewellery shop robbery on 28 August, when five armed men looted the establishment in broad daylight. The police claim to have recovered part of the stolen goods after a subsequent encounter on 2 September, during which three suspects were shot in the leg and arrested. The police have maintained that Yadav was part of the gang responsible for the robbery and fired at the police before being killed in the shootout.
However, opposition parties and the victim’s family have questioned the legitimacy of this narrative. They argue that the state’s police force, under the ruling BJP, is selectively targeting certain communities, particularly Yadavs, through disproportionate force.