UP Police gunned down 289 criminals in encounters, Meerut zone on top

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police gunned down 289 dreaded criminals in encounters and arrested 34,253 people across the state in the past nine years.

According to official figures released on Sunday, UP Police conducted a total of 17,043 encounters since 2017. In these operations, 11,834 criminals suffered injuries, 18 policemen lost their lives in the line of duty, and 1,852 police personnel were injured.

Meerut zone recorded the highest number of 4,813 encounters in which 8,921 criminals were arrested and 3,513 were injured.

A total of 97 notorious criminals were killed in these operations.

During the anti-crime drive in Meerut zone, 477 police personnel were injured and two lost their lives.

Varanasi zone ranked second in the state with 1,292 encounters leading to the arrest of 2,426 criminals. At least 29 criminals were killed, while 104 policemen suffered injuries.

Agra zone ranked third with 2,494 encounters and 5,845 arrests. At least 968 criminals were injured and 24 were gunned down. A total of 62 police personnel were injured.

At least 2,222 encounters were recorded in Bareilly zone, in which 21 criminals were killed. In Lucknow zone, 971 encounters were recorded, leading to the killing of 20 criminals.

Among police commissionerates, Ghaziabad reported the highest number of 18 criminals killed in 789 encounters.

In Kanpur zone, 12 criminals were killed in 791 encounters.

Lucknow commissionerate recorded the killing of 12 criminals in 147 encounters, while Prayagraj zone reported the killing of 11 criminals in 643 operations.

Similarly, Agra recorded the death of 10 criminals in 489 encounters, Gautam Budh Nagar reported the killing of nine criminals in 1,144 encounters, while eight criminals were killed in Gorakhpur zone in 699 operations. In Varanasi commissionerate, eight criminals were neutralised in 146 encounters.

Prayagraj commissionerate reported the killing of six criminals in 150 encounters, while Kanpur commissionerate recorded four deaths in 253 operations.

Officials said the crackdown was accompanied by strict legal action under the Gangsters Act, National Security Act (NSA) and property attachments targeting organised crime syndicates and mafia-linked assets.