According to an official statement, the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has ‘gunned down’ 289 dreaded criminals in police encounters over the last nine years. So far, in the first five months of 2026, the police have killed 23 alleged criminals in encounters.
The statement notes that since 2017—when Yogi Adityanath first became Chief Minister—the police have conducted 17,043 encounter operations and arrested 34,253 criminals. The statement further adds that, under the government’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy, 11,834 criminals were injured during these encounters.
According to government data, 17,043 encounters over nine years translate to an average of five encounters taking place every day in Uttar Pradesh.
Following the BJP’s resounding victory, Yogi Adityanath took the oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on March 19, 2017. The BJP secured another victory in 2021, and Adityanath was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for a second term.
The statement reveals that during this period, 18 police personnel were martyred, and 1,852 were injured.
Meerut in Western Uttar Pradesh Tops the List for Encounters
The highest number of encounters were recorded in the Meerut zone, where the police conducted 4,813 operations. During these operations, 8,921 criminals were arrested, while 3,513 criminals sustained injuries. Additionally, 97 notorious criminals were killed on the spot.
During encounter operations in the Meerut zone, 477 police personnel were injured, while two police personnel were martyred in the line of duty. In terms of the volume of encounter operations, the Meerut zone ranked first across the entire state. According to the statement, 1,292 encounters took place in the Varanasi Zone, resulting in the arrest of 2,426 criminals, while 29 criminals were killed during these encounters. During this period, 907 criminals and 104 police personnel sustained injuries. In terms of the number of encounter operations, the Agra Zone ranks third across the entire state. Here, 2,494 encounter operations were conducted, leading to the arrest of 5,845 criminals. During these operations, 968 criminals were injured, while 24 were killed. A total of 62 police personnel were injured during these encounters.
According to the encounter statistics, 21 dreaded criminals were killed during 2,222 encounters in the Bareilly Zone, while 20 criminals were killed during 971 encounters in the Lucknow Zone. In the Ghaziabad Commissionerate, 18 criminals were killed across 789 encounters—the highest figure among all commissionerates.
In the Kanpur Zone, 12 criminals were killed during 791 encounters; similarly, 12 criminals were killed during 147 encounters in the Lucknow Commissionerate, and 11 criminals were killed during 643 encounters in the Prayagraj Zone.
Likewise, 10 criminals were killed during 489 encounters in the Agra Commissionerate; 9 in Gautam Buddha Nagar across 1,144 encounters; 8 in the Gorakhpur Zone across 699 encounters; 8 in the Varanasi Commissionerate across 146 encounters; 6 in the Prayagraj Commissionerate across 150 encounters; and 4 criminals were killed during 253 encounters in the Kanpur Commissionerate.
The Yogi Government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the UP Police has implemented a ‘zero tolerance’ policy at the grassroots level over the past nine years. This has instilled fear among criminals and strengthened the sense of security among the general public. This is the reason why the state’s law and order situation is receiving appreciation at the national level,” stated a press release.
Alongside police encounters, measures such as property confiscation, actions under the Gangsters Act, and provisions related to laws like the NSA have also been effectively implemented. The statement noted that, under the Yogi government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy in Uttar Pradesh, this nine-year-long campaign against criminals is not only reflected in statistics but has also succeeded in establishing the rule of law at the grassroots level. “The police’s swift, strict, and courageous actions have compelled criminals to flee the state, and Uttar Pradesh is further solidifying its identity as a fear-free and secure state,” the press note added.