Allahabad HC questions UP Police over ‘half encounters’, seeks explanation from DGP, Home Secretary
Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has come down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh Police over the alleged practice of shooting accused persons in the legs and projecting such incidents as armed encounters, observing that the trend, commonly referred to as “half encounters”, has no sanction under the law.
A bench headed by Justice Arun Kumar Deshwal directed Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Rajiv Krishna and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad to appear via video conferencing and clarify whether any oral or written instructions had been issued to police personnel to carry out such actions and portray them as encounters.
According to a Bar & Bench report, the court remarked that incidents of accused persons being shot in the legs appear to have become routine in the state. Justice Deshwal noted that such acts seem aimed at earning publicity, pleasing senior officers, or delivering what the police perceive as instant punishment. He underlined that such conduct is wholly impermissible, as the authority to punish rests exclusively with the judiciary.
The court said India is governed by the Constitution, which clearly demarcates the roles of the executive, legislature and judiciary, and that the police cannot assume the role of courts. “The power to punish lies with the judiciary, not with the police,” the court reiterated.
The observations were made while hearing bail applications of three accused who had sustained injuries in separate alleged encounters with the police. The court took note of the fact that no police personnel were injured in these incidents, which raised doubts about the necessity and proportionality of the use of firearms.
In one case, the High Court pointed out that although an FIR had been registered, the injured accused’s statement was not recorded before a magistrate or medical officer, which violates the Supreme Court guidelines. The investigation was initially conducted by a sub-inspector and later transferred to an inspector, which the court said amounted to non-compliance with the directions laid down by the Supreme Court in the PUCL versus State of Maharashtra case.
Taking a stringent view, the court laid down six mandatory guidelines to be followed in cases where an accused suffers grievous injuries during a police encounter. It warned that district-level police heads, including superintendents of police, senior superintendents and commissioners, would face personal contempt proceedings if these directions are violated in their jurisdictions, as reported by the Bar & Bench.
The court also expressed concern over reports of police officers exerting pressure on judicial officers, including chief judicial magistrates, to secure favourable orders. Cautioning against the erosion of institutional boundaries, Justice Deshwal said Uttar Pradesh cannot be allowed to function as a police state and stressed the importance of mutual respect between the police and the judiciary.
In response, DGP Rajiv Krishna assured the court that clear instructions would be issued to ensure strict compliance with the law and Supreme Court guidelines. “The majesty of law is supreme,” he told the court.
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Second PUC results: Life convict clears exam with distinction, DGP lauds effort
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Bengaluru: A life convict lodged in Ballari Central Prison has successfully cleared the second PUC examination.
Ashok Kumar S, who appeared for the examination under prison escort, secured 481 marks out of 600, registering 80.1 percent.
Director General of Police (Prisons and Correctional Services), Alok Kumar (IPS), shared the development on his official ‘X’ handle, commending the inmate’s achievement.
In his post, he stated that it was heartening to see a life convict score over 80 percent in the examination, adding that the inmate had appeared from Ballari Central Prison under escort.
It’s heartening to see that one of our life convict prisoners Ashok has obtained 80.1% marks in PUC exam. He appeared under Prison escort from Ballari Central Prison for his exams.
— alok kumar (@alokkumar6994) April 9, 2026
Glad to see that Walls of the prison has not subdued his hopes for a better future. pic.twitter.com/Nzlcy076SR
He further noted that the achievement reflected that the “walls of the prison have not subdued his hopes for a better future.”
Alok Kumar in his post also shared the result sheet of Ashok.
The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) declared the second PUC results for 2026 on April 9.
A total of 6,32,200 students appeared for the examination across all streams, of whom 5,46,698 passed, recording an overall pass percentage of 86.48 per cent.
