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The opposition on Thursday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the encounter of the suspects linked to the communal violence in Bahraich.
Five people allegedly responsible for the Bahraich violence were arrested after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police in which two of them suffered gunshot wounds.
According to the police, the accused were trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh.
Reacting to the encounter, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Yogi Adityanath-led government is conducting encounters to cover up its failure.
“This incident was an administrative failure. The government is doing encounters to cover up their failure... If encounters had been improving the law and order of the state, UP would have been way ahead of most states... If permission had been taken for the procession, why wasn't it carried out peacefully? If they cannot handle such a small event, how can one expect them to safeguard law and order in the state...” Akhilesh Yadav told reporters, according to ANI.
He added: "What happened was unfortunate and such incidents should not happen. We will stand with the families of the victims and ensure they get justice... The government is working on the policy of divide and rule. This incident has not just happened, it was planned..."
‘Govt conducting fake encounters’
The Congress also called the encounter in Bahraich “fake” and attributed the violence in the district to the failure of both the state government and the administration.
"The government has been conducting fake encounters for a long time. They are merely trying to cover up their failures," UP Congress President Ajay Rai was quoted as saying by ANI.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also targeted the Uttar Pradesh government and claimed that law and order has collapsed in the state.
"Law and order has collapsed in Uttar Pradesh...There is a list of fake encounters in the state...I think in a state where the ADG Law & Order has to walk carrying a weapon even 48 hours after riots, it means that law and order have collapsed there. We have been appealing to restore peace in UP…" she told ANI.
