India, Sept. 4 -- LUCKNOW Encounters have long been a prominent part of the UP Police's response to organised crime, gangsters, professional shooters and repeat offenders since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister in 2017. But with the 2027 assembly polls approaching, a sharper pattern has emerged: high-profile crimes that trigger public outrage, particularly those involving women and children, are increasingly followed by intensive police operations and, in many cases, encounters.

The political messaging around the approach has also become more explicit.

Adityanath has repeatedly warned offenders against harassing or attacking women and girls. In one of his most widely quoted warnings, he said if anyone violated a girl's safety, "Yamr...