Death in UP takes on casteism as Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav demand probe into ‘fake’ shootings

Lucknow: The death of Mangesh Yadav, an accused in a robbery case with a bounty of Rs 100,000 on his head, in an alleged encounter with the Uttar Pradesh police a few days ago has acquired anti-caste overtones.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav claims that only people from a particular caste (Yadav) have been targeted, and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has stated that the police have been used as a “criminal gang” under the BJP government.

Akhilesh said that the mastermind of the robbery at a jewellery shop in Sultanpur town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh last month in which cash and jewellery worth Rs 15 million were stolen, Vipin Singh, was asked to “surrender” as he hailed from the Thakur community.

Police claimed that Mangesh Yadav and another accused were intercepted near Hanumanganj in Sultanpur district on Thursday and asked to surrender, but they opened fire on police. Manges was killed in retaliatory firing while the other managed to escape.

Mangesh's family said he was picked up by police from his home three days before he was shot dead in the alleged altercation. A judicial inquiry into the altercation has been ordered.

Vipin Singh, the mastermind of the incident, had surrendered to a court on August 29, a day after the robbery.

The opposition was sure that this issue would play a role in the upcoming by-elections for ten seats in the state's parliament.

While the BJP and its allies defended the encounter, opposition leaders sharply criticized the state government, accusing it of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings through fake encounters.

Rahul, in a post on social media, said that the encounter proves that the BJP does not believe in the rule of law. He also said that a professional force like the STF (Special Task Force) is being used like a “criminal gang” under the BJP regime and demanded an inquiry into all suspicious encounters in Uttar Pradesh.

“Fake encounters have brought disrepute to UP at home and abroad… people of a particular caste are being targeted,” Akhilesh said. Bhim Army founder and Lok Sabha member Chandrashekhar alias Ravan also demanded an inquiry into the encounter.

However, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sharply attacked Akhilesh, saying that the criminals could have also killed customers of the jewellery shop and that a “Yadav” could also have been among those killed.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar responded to the opposition's allegations and demanded to know whether the police should open fire after identifying the caste of the criminals.