Now, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar felicitates UP's ‘encounter cop’ at religious event

MEERUT: Already showered with praise from UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Shamli superintendent of police Ajay Pal Sharma, now famously called the encounter cop, has found a new admirer in Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar who felicitated him at a religious function, Viraat Geeta Prerna Mahotsav, in Karnal on Sunday.
“We need IPS officials like Ajay Pal Sharma to tackle crime in our state.I would urge officials in my state to take inspiration from IPS Sharma and learn techniques to curb crime in the state,” Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said at the event.
This comes days after National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance of media reports about the Uttar Pradesh government allegedly endorsing encounter killings by its police seeking improvement in law and order situation. The rights panel has issued a notice to the chief secretary calling for a detailed report in the matter within six weeks.
Shamli has seen four dreaded criminals being gunned down and more than 20 receiving bullet injuries in a spate of encounters in the past eight months. Sharma has received accolades from all corners. He was given a chariot ride by local residents after Shamli police had gunned down two dreaded criminals in two successive encounters in July-August this year.
“We have neutralised almost all dreaded and notorious criminals in past few months. There are hardly any of them roaming out freely. People of the region try to extend their gratitude in some form or the other. Being facilitated by Haryana CM was another recognition of the work we have done,” Shamli SP Ajay Pal Sharma said.
Sharma, already the blue-eyed boy of the state government, has received appreciation from CM Yogi Adityanath in past, who in a poll rally in Saharanpur on Sunday, claimed that the new law and order in place has stopped the “Kairana-like exoduses” with local traders now heaving a sigh of relief.
The culture of encounters has now become a norm in the state with chief minister Yogi Adityanath taking over the reins of the state. “I warn criminals either to surrender and go behind bars or leave the state. We will not hesitate in taking strict action against them," he had said. He had reiterated similar sentiments in his successive public appearances in past months.
"The chief minister giving police and other state-governed forces a free hand to deal with the criminals at their will may result into abuse of power by public servants,” NHRC had said in its notice.