BJP MLA Anil Parshar’s remarks on police encounter killing of 2 men in Aligarh spark controversy

AGRA: BJP MLA Anil Parshar of Aligarh’s Koil assembly constituency has triggered controversy after he appeared to justify police encounters, saying that two men accused of robbery were “sent to Allah within five days of executing the theft.” A video of the MLA’s controversial speech has been widely circulated online, evoking outrage among many netizens. Parshar, who made the remarks in Aligarh’s Mandrak area, could be heard saying: “Two culprits were shot dead in a police encounter. Do you know this? They had targeted women. This is the govt of Modi and Yogi...” Parshar confirmed to TOI on Sunday that he had visited the area three days earlier and made the remarks. “If culprits loot mothers and sisters, then law and order agencies will definitely act. If they'd done wrong, the cops would do whatever is necessary.” On May 17, 10 women who were cutting grass in a field in Aligarh were allegedly robbed at gunpoint by two bike-borne men. Police had been searching for the accused since then, and on May 24, the men — Raza Mohd of Hapur and Momin of Bulandshahr — were gunned down in a late-night police encounter. They were taken to hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Both had “multiple criminal cases, mainly robbery and chain-snatching registered against their name”, police said. The incident comes despite the Supreme Court of India’s observations on “maintaining adequate safeguards in encounter cases”. Earlier this year, while hearing a bail application of an accused who suffered grievous gunshot injuries, the Allahabad High Court, in a scathing rebuke of “encounter culture” in the state, observed that “police firing at the legs of the accused has become a routine feature”.