Yogi Adityanath’s ‘thok do’ mentality behind Ghazipur cop killing: Akhilesh

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that the police officers in Uttar Pradesh are following the 'Thok Do Neeti' (encounter policy) of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to avoid getting transferred.

Raising questions on the prevailing law and order situation in the state, the former chief minister claimed that criminals have "doubled" in Uttar Pradesh under the BJP rule and "law and order situation was not so bad earlier".

"UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is advocating his Thok Do Neeti (encounter policy) everywhere. Due to this, there is a trend among the police officials that they undertake encounters when they anticipate that they can be transferred. Their acts are emulated by their subordinates," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

Police head constable Suresh Vats was killed on Saturday after some members of a protest rally, organised by Nishad Party, allegedly hurled stones at him near Naunera area in Ghazipur. The police constable was deployed at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place.

So far 19 people have been arrested and FIR against 32 people have been registered.

"The death of Head Constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Gajipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the son of the slain police constable blamed police force responsible for his father's death.

Venting his ire over the Uttar Pradesh Police, VK Singh, the deceased constable's son, told news agency ANI, "If the police are not able to protect their co-workers then what sort of protection can a common man expect from them."