Lucknow, Sep 24 (IANS): Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Sunil Singh Yadav on Tuesday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government over another encounter in the Sultanpur jewellers robbery case, saying it was done to balance the previous one.

On Monday, the UP Police gunned down the second accused, Anuj Pratap Singh, in the Sultanpur jewellery store robbery case. This incident follows the death of another suspect, Mangesh Yadav.

Speaking to IANS, the SP leader said: "SP has always raised questions on the encounter processes of Mangesh Yadav and Anuj Pratap Singh. The UP government is not being able to arrest the accused of a heinous crime. But they are picking up someone from the house who has not done the least crime and killing them."

He also expressed his condolences to the family of Anuj Pratap Singh.

Yadav also questioned the family, which had said that Singh's death in an encounter had "fulfilled SP leader Akhilesh Yadav's wish", asking: "But, who killed your son? The encounter was carried out by CM Yogi and the Special Task Force. You are not able to call out the murderers even after losing your son."

He also hit out at the BJP for accusing the SP leaders of being involved in crimes and said that the ruling party has been furious after its below-expected performance in the Lok Sabha elections in UP.

"The BJP is deliberately conspiring to defame the party and Akhilesh Yadav by filing fake cases, and FIRs against the leaders of the SP and sending them to jail," he said

He asserted that the public has defeated the BJP "as you have lied to them".

"You have increased inflation and unemployment. The BJP has taken corruption to its peak. No work is being done in UP without money, so the public should answer. If you are conspiring against the SP, then this is only a process to defame the party," he added.