- The main accused in Ghaziabad youth's murder was killed in a police encounter on Eid day
- The accused, Asad, died from gunshot wounds during a police operation by Khoda and Indirapuram teams
- CM Yogi Adityanath condemned the murder and urged parents to monitor their children's behavior
The police encounter of the accused in the murder of a Ghaziabad youth on Eid day has triggered a political faceoff.
Days after the stabbing of 17-year-old Surya Pratap Chauhan sparked outrage and protests in Ghaziabad, the main accused in the case, Asad, was shot dead in a late-night police encounter on Saturday.
Asad, who had been on the run and carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest, sustained gunshot injuries during retaliatory firing in a joint operation by the Khoda and Indirapuram police teams. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him "brought dead".
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reacting to Chauhan's murder said that "killings in the guise of friendship will never be accepted". He also advised parents to keep a check on their children's activities. "If someone is unable to discipline or guide their wayward child, then they should understand that they are making a mistake," the chief minister remarked.
The encounter of the accused has invited sharp reactions from the opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress. They have alleged that encounters take place depending on the religion of the accused in Uttar Pradesh.
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi said that encounters have become a norm in Uttar Pradesh. "Arrest the criminal, prove the crime in court, and then punish. That is the process. However, in Uttar Pradesh, encounters are being done looking at the religion," he alleged.
"If a Muslim is killed by someone, there is no encounter of the accused. But if a Hindu is killed, by a Muslim or a Yadav, an encounter is carried out with great haste."
Congress leader Husain Dalwai also questioned the encounter saying the state cannot take law into its hands. "I am completely opposed to encounters... You (the state) are engaging in unlawful acts. It is absolutely wrong for the government to take the law into its own hands in such a manner."
Chauhan was allegedly stabbed by Asad and his aides in Ghaziabad's Khoda area on May 28, the day of Bakrid. The incident triggered widespread anger among residents, with family members of the victim and several Hindu organisations staging protests and demanding the immediate arrest and encounter of those involved. Police had been carrying out continuous raids and search operations to trace Asad before the late-night encounter.
Following the police encounter, Chauhan's mother demanded similar action against others involved in the killing. She said, "I have only seen the encounter of one person... But I want to see the picture of Asad. I will be satisfied after I see the picture. The encounter of others should also happen like this... Seven people did this to my son... Bulldozers should run over everyone's houses..."
