Official data released by the Uttar Pradesh Police has revealed a significant surge in encounter killings for the year 2025, marking the highest annual figure recorded in the past eight years. According to the statistics, 48 alleged criminals were killed in police encounters in 2025.
Eight-Year Data on Police Action and Casualties
Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna presented the comprehensive data during a press conference at the state police headquarters in Lucknow on Wednesday. The figures cover the period from March 20, 2017, to December 29, 2025, coinciding with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's tenure which began in March 2017.
The data underscores a strict zero-tolerance policy against crime, implemented as per the chief minister's directives. Since 2017, a total of 266 accused persons have been killed in police encounters across Uttar Pradesh.
The yearly breakdown of encounter deaths shows a fluctuating trend:
- 41 alleged criminals killed in 2018
- 34 in 2019
- 26 each in 2020 and 2021
- A drop to 13 in 2022
- 26 in 2023
- 25 in 2024
- The peak of 48 in 2025
Scale of Police Operations and Human Cost
The year 2025 alone saw 2,739 police operations. During these actions, 3,153 accused were injured alongside the 48 fatalities. The police force also suffered casualties, with one policeman killed during these operations.
Over the entire eight-year span, the scale of police action has been extensive. Authorities carried out 16,284 operations in total. The cumulative toll includes 10,990 accused injured and 266 killed. On the police side, 1,783 personnel were injured and 18 lost their lives.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has consistently stated that all operations were conducted in self-defence and in compliance with the law, as part of a broader strategy to dismantle organised crime networks and target repeat offenders.
Action on Conversions, Cow Smuggling, and Property Recovery
DGP Krishna also shared detailed statistics on other key areas of police action in 2025. Regarding illegal religious conversions, 475 cases were registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, between January 1 and December 20, 2025. This led to the arrest of 855 accused. Chargesheets have been filed in 379 out of 409 cases where the process is complete.
In the crackdown on cow smuggling and slaughter, 1,197 cases were registered across the state in the same period, resulting in the arrest of 3,128 accused. Chargesheets were filed in 958 of these cases.
Strong legal actions were taken against habitual offenders. The Goonda Act was invoked in 71 cases against 613 accused, while proceedings under the Gangster Act were initiated against 1,273 accused. Assets worth Rs 7.38 crore were seized as part of these actions.
Major Recoveries in Property and Narcotics Cases
The police reported substantial recoveries in cases of theft, robbery, dacoity, and house-breaking in 2025, indicating effective crime control. The recoveries included:
- 8,543 two-wheelers and 911 four-wheelers
- Rs 28.69 crore in cash
- Jewellery valued at Rs 52.27 crore
- Other property worth Rs 58.17 crore
In a significant effort against mobile phone theft, police recovered 54,995 mobile phones with an estimated value of Rs 84.25 crore. Of these, 49,404 phones worth Rs 76.59 crore were successfully returned to their rightful owners.
The disposal of case property in 2025 was also massive. Police disposed of 1.16 lakh vehicles, cash amounting to Rs 50.97 crore, jewellery worth Rs 76.42 crore, and electronic items valued at Rs 3.36 crore. Additionally, 84,790 kg and 9.61 lakh litres of narcotic substances, along with other property worth Rs 39.53 crore, were disposed of according to legal provisions.
