From Vikas Dubey to Hyderabad Gang-rape Accused: A Look at Police Encounters in Recent Years

From gangsters trying to flee, to criminal-police scuffles, India has seen several encounters in recent years.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad fears to be killed in an encounter. Mujhe inka program maloom hai, hatya” (I know their plan is to kill me), he said as he was pushed into a police van by Uttar Pradesh cops outside Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat.

This comes as Ahmad is being being brought back to Uttar Pradesh in a police van and another escort van will accompany him during the 1,275 km road journey.He will be produced before the court in Prayagraj on March 28 when the verdict will be delivered.

Amid this, let’s take a look at some encounters in recent years

????Vikas Dubey encounter

In the latest big one, Uttar Pradesh Gangster Vikas Dubey, who was accused of killing eight policemen in Kanpur, was shot dead in an encounter in 2020.

The UP police and the special task force were transporting Dubey’s vehicle from Ujjain when he attempted to flee and also allegedly fired at the police.

India has seen 813 cases of encounter killings between from 2016 to 2022, according to India Today.

????Four accused in Hyderabad gang-rape encounter

In 2019, four accused in the Hyderabad veterinarian’s gang-rape and murder were gunned down in an encounter even before their trail.

The families of the two truck drivers and two cleaners said they would not have been upset if they had been punished by the court after a fair trial.

Accused Mohammed Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jolu Shiva, and Jollu Naveen were arrested after the gang rape and murder of the doctor in November 2019. Police said the accused were killed in an encounter on December 6, 2019, as they tried to flee during collection of evidence at the spot.

After this, the Supreme Court-appointed committee held that this encounter was fake.

????8 Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) members encounter

In 2016,  eight terror suspects of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who managed to escape from the Bhopal central jail early on Monday morning, were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Bhopal near Acharpura village, police said.

After receiving a tip-off from the villagers, a joint team of the ATS and Madhya Pradesh police surrounded the suspected terrorists near Acharpura village in Munaga PS and shot them dead.

The encounter lasted for about 30 minutes in which at least two policemen sustained injuries, police said.

????Lucknow’s most wanted criminal’s encounter

Tinku Kapala aka Kamal Kishore, Lucknow’s most wanted criminal was killed by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force during an encounter in Barabanki in 2020.

Kapala had a bounty of Rs 1 Lakh on him and had over 24 cases against him including murder, robbery, attempt to murder among other things.

???? Fauzi encounter in Delhi

In 2014, Firoz alias Fauzi was killed in northeast Delhi after the police recieved a tip off on him.

Fauzi was involved in at least 23 cases of murder, attempt to murder among others.

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