Mamata Banerjee says encounters in UP became 'normal', suggests people to protest

Encounters have become ‘normal’ for people in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged as she doubled down her attack against the Yogi Adityanath government after gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range on Saturday. She urged the people in UP to stage protests against these encounters.

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CM Banerjee further attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and alleged that they send federal agencies ‘if anything happens in West Bengal’.

“Encounters have become a normal thing for the people of Uttar Pradesh. People of UP should protest against these encounters. If anything happens in West Bengal, they (BJP) send central agencies. BJP is double engine…double standard,” the chief minister said addressing a press conference at party headquarters.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson on Sunday slammed the BJP government in UP over the law and order situation in the state. She raised concern over the ‘total collapse of the law and order’ in the state.

“I am shocked by the brazen anarchy and total collapse of law & order in Uttar Pradesh. It is shameful that perpetrators are now taking the law in their own hands, unfazed by the police and media presence. Such unlawful acts have no place in our constitutional democracy,” she had tweeted.

Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men in Prayagraj on Saturday night, days after the gangster-turned-politician's son was killed in an alleged encounter. Both of them were killed in full view of camera crews when they were being taken for a medical examination as a mandatory legal requirement.