Robber’s Encounter Triggers Yadavs vs Thakurs Row in UP as Oppn Seeks Impartial Probe, Yogi Defends Police

The killing of Mangesh Yadav, a robbery suspect with a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head, in an alleged police encounter has sparked a caste-based controversy in Uttar Pradesh. While the police defend their actions as impartial, the Yadav community and opposition parties accuse them of targeting specific castes. This incident has intensified tensions between Thakurs and Yadavs in the region. Politicians like Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi have condemned the encounter, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has supported the police. The issue of caste-based encounters has become a point of debate, with the police denying any bias in their operations. Over 200 criminals, including both Muslims and Hindus, have been killed in police encounters during Adityanath’s tenure.