Lucknow, Mar 17 (IANS): The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has claimed that more than 10,000 encounters have taken place between police and criminals in the state in the past six years during which 63 criminals had been killed.

A police personnel had also been martyred, according to a data released by the state government.

"In terms of number of encounters, Meerut is at the top in the state with the highest number of 3,152 encounters taking place since 2017, in which 63 criminals were killed and 1708 criminals were injured," the official release said.

During the same period, besides, a policeman was also martyred while 401 cops were injured during the police encounters.

A total of 5,967 criminals were nabbed during the action of the Uttar Pradesh Police.

"The Uttar Pradesh Police has conducted 10,713 encounters since 2017 of which the highest 3,152 were conducted by the Meerut police, followed by the Agra Police, which carried out 1844 encounters in which 4654 criminals were arrested while 14 dreaded criminals were killed and 55 cops were injured, and Bareilly where as many as 1497 encounters were conducted in which 3410 criminals were arrested while 7 died. During the encounters in Bareilly, 437 criminals were injured. In these operations, 296 brave police personnel were injured while one was martyred," the statement said.

It further read, "As soon as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took over the reins of the state, improving the law-and-order situation in the state became his priority. The government adopted zero tolerance policy against mafia and criminals and intensified crackdown on such elements to strengthen the state's law and order."

The statement added that the state which was once "known for poor law and order situation and atrocities of mafias on innocent people, today, is being known not only in the country but abroad as a 'crime and fear-free state'".