The recent killing of Mangesh Yadav, a notorious criminal with a lengthy record of theft and robbery, by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) during a police encounter, has sparked a fierce political controversy in the state. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using caste-based discrimination to target Yadav.
The incident occurred after Yadav was implicated in a high-profile robbery at Bharat Ji Saraf’s “Om Ornaments” jewellery shop in Sultanpur on August 28, where valuables worth over Rs 1.5 crore were stolen. As a wanted criminal with a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head, Yadav was shot dead by the STF on September 5, in Mishirpur, Puraina, Sultanpur, in what the police claim was an act of self-defence. However, the Samajwadi Party has strongly contested this narrative, alleging a bias-motivated by caste considerations on the part of the BJP government.
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav took social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticise the BJP government, accusing it of being in cahoots with those involved in the Sultanpur robbery. He claimed that the “main accused,” Vipin Singh, was conveniently allowed to surrender in another case in Rae Bareilly just two days after the robbery, while Mangesh Yadav was targeted and killed because of his caste. Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the police shot the non-Yadav accused in the leg merely for show, while Mangesh Yadav was killed outright due to his caste background.
In his online statements, Akhilesh Yadav demanded that the government compensate those affected by the robbery for the mental trauma they endured and ensure the return of all stolen goods. He accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of staging fake encounters to cover up its alleged connections with criminals. “Fake encounters turn the protector into a predator,” Yadav asserted, emphasising that the real solution lies in upholding law and order, not fabricating encounters. He further accused the BJP of creating a “haven for criminals,” suggesting that the party only takes action against criminals when public pressure peaks and that it manipulates outcomes to protect certain individuals while punishing others.
In response to these allegations, the BJP countered, criticising the Samajwadi Party for habitually defending criminals and expressing sympathy for their families. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi questioned, “To what extent will the Samajwadi Party go in supporting criminals? Now, the Samajwadi Party visits the homes of criminals to offer condolences. First, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav goes to Mukhtar Ansari’s house to express sympathy, and now Mangesh Yadav…” Tripathi’s comments highlighted the BJP’s stance that the SP’s actions were politically motivated and aimed at gaining favour within certain communities.
The controversy stems from a robbery that took place at Om Ornaments Jewellery Shop in the Thatheri market of Sultanpur district on August 28. Around noon, two customers were present in the shop when a masked man, armed with a firearm, entered and threatened the shop owner, Bharatji Saraf, and his son. Before they could react, another robber, wearing a helmet and carrying a black bag, entered, followed by three more accomplices. The gang members held the shop occupants at gunpoint while others looted jewellery worth Rs 1.4 crore in mere minutes before fleeing the scene on motorbikes.
The police investigation that followed revealed a meticulously planned operation involving twelve robbers, divided into three groups. The first group, led by Pushpendra, Tribhuvan, and Sachin, orchestrated the robbery and arranged a Bolero car for the escape. The second group, consisting of Vipin Singh, Vinay Shukla, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh, and Durgesh Singh, provided logistical backup. The third group, including Furqan, Anuj Pratap, Arbaaz, Mangesh Yadav, and Ankit Yadav, carried out the robbery itself.
As the investigation progressed, the UP Police identified Mangesh Yadav as one of the key suspects and placed a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on the twelve accused. While Vipin Singh surrendered in Rae Bareilly, and Sachin Singh, Pushpendra Singh, and Tribhuvan alias Lala Harijan were apprehended after a police encounter, Mangesh Yadav was killed in another encounter on September 5, when he allegedly opened fire on the police. During this operation, law enforcement officers seized approximately 15 kg of silver jewellery, Rs 38,500 in cash, a stolen motorbike, three illegal firearms, cartridges, and shell casings.
In response to Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations of a caste-based fake encounter, Dharmendra Shahi, an STF officer involved in the operation, stated, “I cannot say much on this. Everyone has their own opinion.” This brief comment, however, did little to quell the controversy surrounding the incident. Mangesh Yadav’s criminal record included eight theft and robbery cases. His illicit activities began in 2021, with multiple cases registered against him at the Karaundikala police station. By 2022, six more cases had been filed, and in 2023, he was charged under the Gangster Act. In 2024, he was involved in a bike theft in Jaunpur, which was later used in the Sultanpur jewellery robbery. His criminal career ultimately ended with his death in the police encounter.
Despite the killing of Mangesh Yadav, several other gang members, including Furqan, Anuj Pratap Singh, Arbaaz, Vinay Shukla, Ankit Yadav, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh, and Durgesh Pratap Singh, remain at large. The BJP has staunchly defended the STF’s actions as necessary measures for maintaining law and order, dismissing the SP’s accusations as baseless and politically motivated attempts to garner sympathy and support from certain sections of society. As the political battle intensifies, the encounter has become a focal point for broader debates on law enforcement practices, the ethics of extrajudicial actions, and the role of political parties in shaping public perceptions of justice and governance.
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