UP DGP denies allegation of caste-based encounters, says no partiality is practised

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar on Monday denied allegations of opposition parties on the police carrying out encounters based on the accused's caste and said no partiality is practised by the state police.

The DGP was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the All India Police Wrestling Cluster event here.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav recently attacked the Yogi Adityanath government after the Sultanpur encounter in which Mangesh Yadav, who was allegedly involved in a Rs 1.5-crore loot at a jeweller's shop, was killed.

The SP president has termed the encounter as "fake" and alleged that it was done based on the basis of the accused's caste.

DGP Kumar, however, denied these allegations.

"Police do not do such things... When bullets are fired on police, those who have faced such situations, who are our former officers, all of them know about it... I deny all such things and police take action completely impartially," he said.

Regarding the attempt to derail the Kalindi Express train in Kanpur, the DGP said, "All our senior officers have visited the spot and we are looking into things seriously. Whatever facts come to light, we will inform the media about them."

On a question about the ATS (anti-terrorist squad) also reaching the spot in Kanpur, the DGP said, "We will look into all the aspects and it is not possible to say anything on this without a full investigation."