With still a month and few weeks to go in 2025, Uttar Pradesh Police have gunned down 42 criminals in encounters in the first 10 months and one week of 2025-exceeding the previous high of 41 killings reported in 2018. This includes 10 notorious criminals shot dead in the past 36 days alone.
Officials say the number is likely to rise further, underscoring the state’s continued zero-tolerance policy toward crime and criminals. A year-wise breakdown of encounter killings shows a fluctuating trend, with the highest number of 42 reported in 2025, followed by 41 in 2018, 34 in 2019, 28 in 2017, 26 each in 2020, 2021 and 2023, 22 in 2024, and 14 in 2022.
The latest killing that pushed the total to 42, occurred on Friday morning, when Mohd Waqif, 27 – a notorious cattle thief carrying a ₹50,000 reward on his head-was gunned down in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Azamgarh’s Raunapar area. This brings the total number of criminals killed in police encounters to 259 between March 2017 and November 7, 2025. A senior STF official said Waqif had a long criminal history, with 48 cases against him, including charges of cattle smuggling, theft, murder, and robbery.
The effectiveness of UP police’s encounter policy in curbing crime continues to generate debate. While supporters argue that such measures are necessary to maintain law and order, critics have raised concerns over possible human rights violations and stressed the need for greater transparency in investigations. Moreover, the opposition parties and human rights activists have been regularly targeting the BJP government in UP over targeted killing of criminals on the lines of religion.
Former IPS SR Darapuri emphasised that crime does not stop by killing criminals in encounters instead it raises concerns over possible human rights violations and corruption in police force. He said he himself has been a police officer for 32 years, but never advocated for encounters.
According to official data, the Uttar Pradesh Police have been involved in over 15,000 encounters since March 2017, resulting in 259 deaths of hardened criminals and injuries to over 10,000 others.
Analysis of the encounter data available suggested that 83 criminals with Muslim names were killed in different police encounters across UP since March 2017, which is around 32% of all the encounter killings.
As many as 15 criminals with Muslim names each were killed in 2017 and 2018, 14 criminals with Muslim names have been killed in 2025 so far, 13 criminals were killed in in 2019, 10 criminals in 2023, six, five and four criminals in 2020, 2021 and 2024, respectively, while only one criminal with Muslim name was killed in 2022.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has consistently maintained a firm stance on crime, asserting that criminals will be dealt with strictly. “The government’s policy is clear-law and order must prevail,” he has reiterated in several public addresses.
Director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna said the department remains committed to maintaining law and order while ensuring the safety of citizens. “We have been following a zero-tolerance policy toward crime and disorder. UP Police is also focused on ensuring a safe environment for women and girls,” said DGP Krishna. “We will continue to take strict action against criminals to ensure that the state remains safe and secure.”
The last 10 encounters
Nov 7: Waqib alias Waqif, a 50,000-rupee bounty criminal, was killed in an encounter in Azamgarh.
Oct 23: Faisal, a one lakh-rupee bounty criminal, was killed in an encounter in Shamli.
Oct 18: Mohammad Nafis, a one lakh-rupee bounty criminal, was killed in an encounter in Shamli.
Oct 13: Shahzad alias Nikki, a 25,000-rupee bounty criminal, was killed in an encounter in Meerut.
Oct 12: Gurusevak, a one lakh-rupee bounty criminal, was killed in an encounter in Lucknow.
Oct 9: Ifthekar alias Saithan, a dacoit, was killed in an encounter in Bareilly.
Oct 5: Naresh Pandit was killed in an encounter in Firozabad
Oct 5: Imran was killed in an encounter in Saharanpur
Oct 3: Mehtab was killed in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar
Sep 28: Naeem Qureshi was killed in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar