Don’t bring caste and religion into UP encounters, doubters can go to court: Sanjay Raut

The Sena (UBT) MP says many encounter specialists of the Mumbai police went to jail after an inquiry commission found that they had staged killings

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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said Friday that those who claim the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad in Uttar Pradesh was staged have a right to approach courts, but encounter killings should not be seen through the prism of caste or religion.

“UP has a mafia raj. That is what the politicians there and the general public feel. The UP CM had announced that he would destroy this mafia raj. If there is a mafia raj in that state and the police have had to pick up guns to address this problem, this is an issue pertaining to that state. If questions are being raised about an encounter then the Opposition has the option of approaching courts,” Raut said, reacting to a question on claims that Asad was killed in a fake encounter by the UP police.

“This country has laws and courts. If there are terrorists, they should be killed in encounters. If there is a big mafia that threatens society, such encounter killings take place. I see people are raising questions. In Mumbai some people had gone to court and the court had set up an inquiry commission, after which many encounter specialists went to jail,” Raut added.

The Sena (UBT) leader, however, said that raising objections to such encounters on caste or religious lines did not bode well for the fight against crimes. “There was this guy called Vikas Dubey, a mafiosi who was killed in an encounter. Two encounters took place yesterday. Do not bring caste and religion into these encounters. A criminal has no caste or religion, but if a person is being killed illegally and brutally then the doors of courts are always open,” Raut said.

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