A rape accused released on parole was killed by Uttar Pradesh police

New Delhi: A 29-year-old man accused of rape and robbery was shot dead by police in the early hours of June 1 in Mathura, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 24 hours after he was shot three times in the legs during another alleged “encounter.”

After the first “encounter” in which the accused Manoj alias Uttam was injured, he escaped from police custody from the hospital where he was being treated. In a second “encounter” he was intercepted and shot dead.

This is how the recent “encounter” killing in the state unfolded, according to the official narrative compiled by The Wire from police reports and FIRs.

Manoj, who was jailed in 2015 for raping a woman at gunpoint in his village and robbing a woman’s handbag in another incident, was released on parole on May 15. Ten days later, police said, he raped an elderly woman in Mahavan area on May 25 after luring her to her motorcycle on the pretext of giving her a lift. Manoj allegedly drove the woman to a remote place and robbed her of earrings, anklets and a nose ring before raping her, police claimed.

On the night of May 30-31, a team of special cell of the Uttar Pradesh Police along with police officials from two police stations – Shergarh and Mahavan – intercepted a man riding a motorcycle near the Jagdispur underpass during a checking operation.

“The police asked him to stop but he fired at the police. The police fired back in self-defence. Three bullets hit both his legs,” said Trigun Bisen, superintendent of police, Mathura rural. Manoj was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

The officials claimed to have recovered a homemade pistol, cartridges and a motorcycle from Manoj. The accused had a bounty of Rs 25,000 on his head at the time of his arrest on May 31 at around 1.10 am.

Manoj was taken to a community health centre at 2.15 am but was referred to the district hospital at 3 am under the supervision of two policemen. However, he escaped from police custody at around 11 am on May 31, according to the complaint filed by station house officer Asha Chaudhary at Kotwali police station.

The Deputy General Manager of Agra Zone announced a bounty of Rs 50,000 on Manoj.

In the early hours of June 1, Manoj was stopped by police during a vehicle check while he was riding a motorcycle towards the Lohari Mata Mandir junction. An informant tipped them off, police said.

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Since it was late and passersby were unwilling to come forward as witnesses, the police could not record the names and addresses of independent public witnesses, SHO Shergarh Sonu Kumar said in an FIR filed after the incident.

Police claimed that Manoj had driven his motorcycle towards an empty field to avoid police checking. He fell off the motorcycle because he was constantly checking for the police behind him and hit a raised area in the field, the FIR said.

According to police, Manoj fired at them despite being asked to surrender. SHO Kumar said he and the SOG team chief were hit by bullets but were saved by their bullet-proof vests. Police said they fired back at Manoj, who was found with a bleeding injury on his chest. Five policemen fired one bullet each at his lower body in a controlled manner, police said in the FIR. He was taken to a community health centre at around 3:20 am on June 1, where doctors declared him dead.

A .32 caliber pistol and cartridges were confiscated from him.

Shailesh Pandey, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mathura, said, “Many teams were formed to nab him. And within 24 hours, this culprit, who had a reward of Rs 50,000, was killed in an encounter.”