Once infamous for crime, riots, and lawlessness, Uttar Pradesh has undergone a remarkable transformation. Today, the state is recognised in India and globally for its robust law and order, a testament to the zero-tolerance policy adopted over the past eight years.

A senior police official here on Sunday disclosed that since 2017, around 222 dreaded criminals were neutralised in police encounters, 8,118 criminals were injured in operations, including 20,221 wanted criminals with bounties, 79,984 criminals were booked under the Gangster Act, 930 offenders were charged under the National Security Act (NSA), and illegal assets worth Rs 142 billion 46 crore 18 lakh were confiscated or demolished.

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Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said here on Sunday that from 2017 to December 2024, the government successfully prosecuted 68 identified mafia criminals, leading to life imprisonment or severe sentencing for 31 mafias and 74 co-criminals in 73 cases. Notably, two criminals received the death penalty. As many as 795 cases were registered against 68 identified mafias and 1,408 associates of their gangs in the state, out of which 617 have been arrested.

Apart from this, the arms licenses of 359 criminals were canceled, and action was taken against 18 criminals under the NSA. A total 752 criminals were punished under the Gangster Act, while illegal property worth more than Rs 4,076 crore was seized. The Adityanath Yogi government has also taken a tough stand on crimes against women and minors. So far, the culprits have been punished in 27,425 cases, 11,254 cases of the POCSO Act and 3,775 cases of dowry death.

Between July 2023 and December 2024, the Yogi government’s Operation Conviction led to 51 accused being awarded the death penalty, 6,287 criminals being awarded life imprisonment, 1,091 criminals being sentenced to more than 20 years, 3,868 criminals being sentenced to 10 to 19 years and 5,788 accused were sentenced to less than 5 years.

The state government freed more than 66,000 hectares of land from illegal occupation by forming a four-tier anti-land mafia task force. As many as 142 land mafias were identified, and legal action was taken against them. Since 2017, the Special Task Force (STF) has prevented 653 heinous crimes before they could happen. Meanwhile, the ATS has arrested 130 terrorists and 171 Rohingya/Bangladeshi criminals and their associates since 2017.

With historic reforms in policing and governance, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a national model for law and order. The UP government’s zero-tolerance policy has dismantled criminal networks and instilled a deep sense of security among its citizens, marking a transformative shift in the state’s safety and governance.