Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav was speaking at News18 India conclave Chaupal. (PTI File)
“What action was taken against the main accused in the recent Sultanpur encounter? Our Chief Minister should know what STF is. However, there is a buzz around that STF is not a Special Task Force, but instead a Special Thakur Force,” said Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav, at News18 India’s ninth season of its annual summit, Chaupal, on Monday, once again accused Special Task Force (STF) of caste-based encounters in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, terming the STF as “Special Thakur Force”.
The SP Chief’s remark on the recent Sultanpur encounter has further intensified the Thakur vs Yadav caste divide in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Prior to SP Chief’s remark, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, had questioned the working of the STF.
“What action was taken against the main accused in the recent Sultanpur encounter? Our Chief Minister should know what STF is. However, there is a buzz around that STF is not a Special Task Force, but instead a Special Thakur Force,” said Yadav.
The SP chief also questioned the 2020 Vikas Dubey encounter, asking only how the vehicle in which he was being brought got overturned. “People would not accept such killings. It’s only because of such wrong narratives, the BJP is losing,” Yadav added.
THAKUR VS YADAV
The Thakur vs Yadav controversy began with the killing of Mangesh Yadav, a notorious criminal with a Rs 1 lakh bounty, in an alleged police encounter. On August 28, 2024, Mangesh and four armed accomplices robbed Bharat Soni’s jewellery store in Sultanpur, stealing cash and ornaments worth Rs 1.5 crore. They crossed four police outposts undetected, the incident embarrassed local authorities.
In the early hours of September 3, Sultanpur Police encountered three men accused of the robbery—Sachin Singh, Pushpendra Singh, and Tribhuvan Kori—near Godawa. The trio was shot and injured, and 15 kilograms of silver jewellery was recovered. Another accused, Vipin Singh, surrendered earlier in Rae Bareli court.
On September 4, the ADG of Lucknow Zone announced a Rs 1 lakh bounty on 10 remaining suspects, including Mangesh Yadav. On September 5, Mangesh was killed in an alleged encounter with the UP STF, led by deputy SPs DK Shahi and Vimal Singh. According to ADG Amitabh Yash, the police retaliated after Mangesh fired at them during the confrontation.
SP, CONGRESS REACT
The opposition parties accused the BJP-led government of carrying out caste-based encounters. In a post on X, Yadav accused the ruling party of manipulating the situation. “It seems that the ruling party had deep connections with the people involved in the Sultanpur robbery. This is why the ‘main accused’ was contacted before the robbery and made to surrender. Other accused were shot in the leg for show and Mangesh Yadav was killed on the basis of caste,” he wrote.
He further criticized fake encounters, saying: “Fake encounters turn the protector into a predator. The solution is not fake encounters, but real law and order.”
He also alleged that robbery kingpin Vipin Singh was strategically allowed to surrender as he belonged to the dominant Thakur caste.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condemned the encounter, accusing the BJP of flouting the rule of law. “In BJP-ruled states, the ‘law and constitution’ are being flouted by those who have the responsibility to enforce them,” Gandhi said on X. He criticised the Special Task Force (STF), saying: “A professional force like the STF is being run like a ‘criminal gang’ under the BJP government.” Gandhi demanded impartial investigations into the suspicious encounters and justice for the victims.
POLICESPEAK
On the allegations of caste-based encounters, UP DGP Prashant Kumar said: “The police do not engage in such things… they are taking action impartially.” He added that only officers who have to brave bullets know about the severity of such encounters.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath, too, backed the police as he posed a question while speaking at a public gathering: “The dacoit was killed in a police encounter… when he was brandishing a weapon and committing dacoity, what if he had shot the customers in the (jewellery shop) and those killed could also have included a ‘Yadav’?”