As part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s zero-tolerance policy against crime, the Uttar Pradesh government has awarded legal punishment to around 3,0000 criminals in the last three years.

According to the latest statistics of the Directorate of Prosecution, the highest number of 10,520 criminals were punished by the court under the Arms Act from 2020 to 2022. Besides, 4,078 criminals were given punishment under the Pocso Act, 1,218 for involvement in rape cases, 8,646 in crime against women and children, 2,387 in murders, 1,152 in dowry deaths, 1,141 in robberies and 279 in cow slaughter cases.

It is noteworthy that on the one hand, the UP Police have killed 184 miscreants in encounters so far, on the other criminals and gangsters are being punished also through effective lobbying by the police in the court.

Prosecution Directorate’s Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ashutosh Pandey said that in the last three years, effective lobbying in the court and 100 per cent testimony of witnesses has ensured the punishment of the criminals.

Against punishments given to 535 criminals in the year 2020, 2,313 criminals were penalized in 2022, registering an increase of 332 per cent. Similarly, in the cases of rape, 671 criminals were punished in 2022 against 177 in 2020, registering an increase of 280 per cent.

Similarly, in the year 2020, in the cases of crime against women and children, 1,048 criminals were punished; in 2022, 5351 criminals were punished, recording an increase of 411 per cent. In murder cases, 420 criminals were awarded punishment in the year 2020 while 1180 criminals were punished in 2022, registering an increase of 181 per cent.

The Directorate of Prosecution awarded punishment to 182 criminals in 2020 and 572 in 2022 in dowry death cases. Similarly, in the year 2022, 745 criminals were penalized in 2022 against 177 in 2020 in robbery cases, registering an increase of 321 per cent. In cow slaughter cases, 200 criminals were penalized in 2022 against 29 in 2020.

However, in the last three years, a maximum number of punishments was given in Arms Act cases. A total of 6,373 criminals were punished under Arms Act in 2022 against 1960 in 2020 the year 2022, 6,373 criminals were punished under the Arms Act registering an increase of 225 per cent, said the UP government statement.