India Tomorrow
New Delhi, Feb 13— Since 2014-15 to January 20, 2019, as many as 824 deaths were recorded in police encounters across the country, of which 250 deaths were recorded in alleged fake encounters, the Home Ministry has informed the Parliament.
As many as 250 cases of killings in alleged fake encounters were registered from 2014 to January 20, 2019, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed the Rajya Sabha earlier this month. Andhra Pradesh had maximum number of 58 cases followed by Uttar Pradesh and Odisha with 43 and 28 cases respectively in which complaints of alleged fake encounters were received.
State-wise list of Deaths in Police Encounters from 2014 to Jan 20, 2019
Basing on a statement furnished by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), indicating the number of cases registered on the basis of intimations received about deaths in police encounters, the minister presented a state-wise chart for the period 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 (up to 20.01.2019). The chart puts the figures at 188, 179, 169, 155 and 133 in the responding years, totalling 824 deaths.
Another table in the minister’s written reply on the basis of a statement furnished by NHRC indicating the number of cases registered on the basis of complaints about killing in alleged fake encounters, puts the total figure of such cases at 250.
State-wise list of Deaths in Alleged Fake Encounters from 2014 to Jan 20, 2019
Of all, the state of Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a huge surge in police encounters since March 2017.
The first table on deaths in police encounters in Uttar Pradesh shows 16 such cases between 2014-2017 but 65 such cases between 2017-2019 (till Jan 20) – including 23 deaths in alleged fake encounters.
The actual figure, at least for Uttar Pradesh, could be much higher as the state-wise chart provided by the minister records only 23 such cases in the state from 2017-18 to Jan 20, 2019 while the state has seen huge surge in killings in police encounters since March 2017 when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assumed office in Lucknow. Media reports say around 1400 encounters took place in the state in the period in which over 50 people were reportedly killed.
The minister also informed the Upper House that from 2014 up to January 20, 2019, NHRC has recommended monetary compensation in total 102 cases, which were as follows:
2014-2015- Rs.7,500,000/- in 13 cases
2015-2016- Rs.8,800,000/- in 14 cases
2016-2017- Rs.18,850,000/- in 30 cases
2017-2018- Rs.20,350,000/- in 30 cases
2018-19 (upto 20.01.2019)- Rs.14,500,000/- in 15 cases
