The Uttar Pradesh police recorded their highest annual encounter toll in eight years in 2025, with 48 alleged criminals killed, according to official data released on Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENTYogi Adityanath assumed office as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in March 2017. A year-wise break-up shows that 41 alleged criminals were killed in encounters in 2018, followed by 34 in 2019. Overall, since 2017, the Uttar Pradesh Police have conducted 16,284 operations. The figures make 2025 the year with the highest number of accused killed in police action over the past eight years, surpassing even 2024, when 25 alleged criminals were shot.

Source: The Telegraph December 31, 2025 12:23 UTC