The law-and-order story of Uttar Pradesh in the past nine years has emerged as one of the most defining pillars of governance under the Yogi Adityanath govt. What was once perceived as a state grappling with entrenched crime networks and weak enforcement, has undergone a visible and structured turnaround, according to officials.“At the heart of this transformation lies an aggressive and sustained crackdown on mafia, organised syndicates, and street-level criminality — an approach that has not only targeted individuals but dismantled entire ecosystems of crime. This sustained push has helped recast policing from a reactive force into a central instrument of governance and public messaging,” says former DGP Prashant Kumar.From the rollout of anti-Romeo squads to the expansion of Mission Shakti, and from AI-driven crime tracking systems to fast-tracked prosecution strategies, the state has attempted a comprehensive overhaul of its policing architecture. According to officials, the emphasis has been on predictability, deterrence, and visibility—ensuring that law enforcement is feared by offenders and trusted by citizens.Senior officials at the DGP headquarters said that since 2017, the state has not witnessed any major communal riots or caste-based conflicts — an assertion the govt cites as a key indicator of improved law and order.Crackdown On Criminal Networks & Mafia:Official figures indicate that 277 criminals were killed in police encounters, while over 11,445 were injured. At least 33,652 criminals carrying rewards were arrested.Over 85,118 criminals were booked under the Gangsters Act, and 977 under the National Security Act (NSA). Illegal movable and immovable assets worth over Rs 14,580 crore were seized under the Gangsters Act between March 2017 and Dec 2025. A focused campaign against 68 identified mafia networks resulted in action against 1,459 people, with 638 arrests made under the provisions of the NSA and the Gangsters Act. Properties worth over Rs 4,413 crore linked to these networks were confiscated.Convictions And Sentencing Outcomes:Through focused legal follow-up, the govt claims to have secured life imprisonment for 35 mafia and 94 of their associates, while two were awarded death penalty. Under ‘Operation Conviction’ (July 2023-Dec 2025), 1.25 lakh accused were convicted while 79 were awarded death penalty. At least 10,414 received life imprisonment.Decline in Crime Rate:Compared to 2016, the govt reported a significant decline across major crime categories like dacoity (90% dip), robbery (85% decline), murder (down by 47%), rioting (dip by 70%), and rape (53% decline), a senior officer at the DGP headquarters said.Emergency Response & Smart Policing:The UP-112 emergency response system has undergone major upgrades over 3.1 crore calls attended. Response time reduced from 1 hour 5 minutes (2016) to 6 minutes 41 seconds (2025). A cyber helpline integrated into UP-112 has processed over 7.5 lakh complaints since its launch in May 2021. Police intervened in 1,769 cases of suicide-related social media posts between 2023 and 2025.Expansion Of Police Infrastructure:The state expanded policing infrastructure with 134 new police stations and 86 outposts. At least 73 cybercrime police stations and six narcotics police stations were also set up.Women’s Safety & Mission Shakti:Under Mission Shakti initiative, dedicated Mission Shakti centres were established in every police station. Over 40,000 personnel were trained and women beat officers were deployed.“Nine years of the Yogi govt mark a decisive and path-breaking success in crime control and maintenance of law and order. The state has acted firmly against the mafia, dreaded criminals and organised crime, effectively breaking their backbone,” said former UP DGP Vikram Singh.
