UP Police constable martyred in encounter, family demands justice

A member of the four-person encounter team, Rathi sustained a fatal gunshot wound during the operation to apprehend Yadav, who was wanted in at least 20 cases and had jumped bail.

NEW DELHI | Updated: 27 December, 2023 1:30 pm IST

Young UP cop succumbs to a gunshot injury in an encounter, was set to marry in February

NEW DELHI: In a tragic incident, Constable Sachin Rathi met an untimely demise during a police encounter with wanted criminal Ashok Yadav at Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday.

A member of the four-person encounter team, Rathi sustained a fatal gunshot wound during the operation to apprehend Yadav, who was wanted in at least 20 cases and had jumped bail.

The encounter unfolded at a village where Yadav’s wife served as the pradhan.

Responding to a non-bailable warrant, Rathi’s team engaged with Yadav and his son Abhay Yadav, who opened fire on the police team. Despite reinforcements from four police stations, the hour-long exchange resulted in the 30-year-old succumbing to a gunshot wound to the thigh.

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The entire police force paid their respects at the Police Lines, where visuals captured the emotional scene. Rathi was slated to be married to his colleague, Komal Deshwal in January. However, his family was handed his body today.

*Constable Sachin Rathi met an untimely demise during a police encounter with wanted criminal Ashok Yadav*

Deshwal, visibly distraught, consoled Rathi’s grieving father, Vedpal Rathi, expressing the profound loss. Visuals from the Police Lines depicted the collective grief as the entire force gathered to bid their final goodbye.

“We want him to be declared martyred. Also, the criminals should be treated the same way, they should get what happened to Sachin. We demand justice,” expressed his uncle Devendra Rathi.

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Ashok and his son were eventually apprehended and sent to a hospital in Kannauj.

This incident adds to the toll of encounters in UP, where more than 16 policemen have lost their lives, and over 1,500 have been injured since Yogi Adityanath’s government came into power.

The alarming figure of 11,808 encounters highlights the challenging environment faced by law enforcement in the state.