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Jungle Raj to Encounter Raj: UP’s crime rate at an all-time low thanks to Yogi Adityanath, but there’s more to it

Yogi Adityanath UP

In the year 2017, when the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government came to power with an overwhelming majority, the newly elected Chief Minister roared in an interview, “Agar apraadh karenge toh thok diye jayenge,” thus signifying his “Thok Do” policy for handling crime in the most populous Indian state. The government gave an unofficial memorandum to criminals to either “surrender or get killed.”

A series of encounters followed soon after. The no-nonsense policy was established more firmly when in 2019, ahead if the Republic Day, all District Magistrates were asked to publicize over 3200 encounters and 79 criminal killings as an achievement of the Yogi governments first 16 months. The tough actions on criminals was under the Chief Minister’s pet project of “Operation Clean.”

There was a popular feeling that criminals sought to be arrested as they felt safer in jails rather than be killed outside. The Yogi government seems to have got a firm control over the law and order in the state as the crime rates stand well below National average. The NCRB (National crime record bureau) stated that the crime rate “per-lakh” in the state is quite less than other populous states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and states with higher population density. The state’s crime rate per lakh population stood below in the categories of murder, crime against women, children, SC/ST among others when compared to other populous states.

The Yogi government seems to have learnt from the mistakes of previous SP and BSP governments who apparently lost their seats owing to poor record in fighting crime. The data shows that there have been over 6200 encounters in the 40 months of this government, killing 122, injuring 2300 and arresting 13500 criminals. This also saw a death of 13 policemen.

Though the crime-rate has been tackled strategically, the fact that police shouldn’t be given unchecked power can’t be denied. A constant free hand to the police force might become a misery for common citizens who may now be bullied not by the criminals but by policemen.

A set of police reforms have been enforced, but there is a necessity of more such reforms to keep in check the power given to policemen as well as the crime rate. Laws and regulations should be enforced so that no innocent citizens suffers under the garb of law enforcement.

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