Akhilesh Yadav alleges fake encounters targeting PDA

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav has raised serious concerns over encounters under the BJP government, calling many of them “fake” and targeting specifically the members of the PDA (Pichchra, Dalit and Alpsankhyak).

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav criticised those who suggest filing appeals in court if there are doubts about the legitimacy of encounters.

He questioned whether a court could bring back the lives lost due to these extrajudicial killings.

Yadav further alleged that the high number of encounters under the BJP’s rule is an indicator of illegal killings and injustice. He emphasised that 60 per cent of those killed in these so-called “fake encounters” belong to the PDA adding that caste-wise data was unavailable for another 21 per cent of the cases.

Akhilesh has been vocal on the alleged encounter of one Mangesh Yadav saying he was killed in cold blood because he was Yadav. He expressed concern about what he perceives as disproportionate targeting of specific communities through these actions.

In related developments, Congress state president Ajay Rai has written to the Governor regarding the controversial encounter of Mangesh Yadav in Jaunpur. Rai, in his letter, called for an investigation by a sitting High Court judge, citing several discrepancies in the police probe. He claimed that after personally visiting the site, he found multiple signs that suggested the encounter might have been staged.Rai insisted that only an impartial judicial inquiry could bring out the truth. The growing concerns over alleged fake encounters in Uttar Pradesh continue to spark political debate, with opposition parties demanding accountability from the government.