Akhilesh Yadav Assures Justice for UP Man Killed in Alleged STF Encounter

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav assured justice to the family of Mangesh Yadav, who was allegedly killed by the STF in an encounter on September 5. Akhilesh gave this assurance after meeting Mangesh's family at the Samajwadi Party headquarters, where they shared their grief.

Allegations of a Fake Encounter

The SP statement claimed that Mangesh was taken from his home by the police and killed in a fake encounter. His father, mother, and sister informed Akhilesh about the police harassment they faced. The family, hailing from Agaraura village in Jaunpur, detailed the incident to Akhilesh.

A robbery occurred on August 28 at Bharat Jewellers in Sultanpur's Thatheri Bazaar. Among the 15 accused, three were arrested while Mangesh was killed in an encounter with the Special Task Force (STF). Another accused, Vipin, later surrendered in court.

Police Actions and Family's Claims

The police arrested several individuals, including Durgesh Pratap Singh, Vinay Shukla, Arvind Yadav alias Fauji, and Vivek Singh. Akhilesh assured Mangesh's family that an impartial inquiry would be conducted into his death.

Akhilesh stated, "The police in Uttar Pradesh have a new method -- pick up anyone, make a false story and by pressuring the family and encounter the truth itself." He added that encounter figures under the BJP government reflect illegal killings and injustice against backward classes, Dalits, and minorities.

Sequence of Events Leading to Encounter

The party statement highlighted that around 2 am on September 2, police took Mangesh from his house. On September 3-4, police visited his house during the day and claimed he was being interrogated and would be released soon. However, on September 5, Mangesh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter while in police custody.

The family alleged that police pressured them to make false statements in a video broadcasted by authorities. They claimed the video contained lies and that Mangesh was wrongfully declared a criminal to justify the encounter.

Official Response to Allegations

On Thursday, UP Director General of Police Prashant Kumar dismissed allegations of state police being trigger-happy. He asserted that the police follow strict guidelines and have not faced criticism from constitutional bodies.

Kumar's remarks came after Akhilesh accused the BJP of staging fake encounters targeting individuals based on caste and religion. On Tuesday, Akhilesh criticised the UP government, stating that encounter statistics under BJP rule reflect illegal killings and injustice against PDA (backward classes, Dalits, and minorities).

The Samajwadi Party has consistently raised its voice against such injustices and atrocities. The entire village supports Mangesh's family, claiming he was wrongfully targeted by the police.