LUCKNOW, Oct. 24 -- Although encounter killings in Uttar Pradesh have sparked debates and raised questions about the efficacy of such measures in controlling crime, the state police gunned down 41 criminals in encounters in the first 10 months of this year thereby already touching the 2018 mark-highest since 2017- with two months still left before 2025 bids adieu.

With this, the number of encounter killings has risen to 258 between March 2017 (when the Yogi government came to power in the state) and October 24, 2025. In the latest incident, a wanted criminal Mohd Faisal carrying a reward of Rs.1 lakh was shot dead during an encounter with police in Bhogi Majra village under Jhinjhana police station of Shamli late on Thursday night.

The ...