New Delhi: The criminal record of Mangesh Yadav – whose killing by the police in a controversial “encounter” has triggered a political storm in Uttar Pradesh – started three years ago when he was allegedly caught snatching a mobile phone on a stolen bike. On the basis of these two non-violent charges, Yadav was designated a ‘gangster’ by the state police in 2021.

Mangesh, who was in his early twenties, was shot dead by the UP Police Special Task Force on September 5 after he was accused of being involved in a major dacoity in a jewellery shop in Sultanpur on August 28. His family and the Opposition parties have accused the police of executing him in a staged “encounter” and also questioned the official version that he was involved in the dacoity. The under fire UP police on September 12 released CCTV footage of the dacoity and claimed that one of the five men – his head was covered by a helmet – in the jewellery shop was Mangesh Yadav.

We trace Mangesh Yadav’s involvement with the world of crime and law – from his arrest for trying to snatch a mobile phone to being booked for attempt to murder on September 5, 2024, a few hours after he was shot dead by the UP STF.

In all, there were 10 FIRs in which Mangesh was implicated by the police, including some lodged against unknown persons. Prior to the August 28 dacoity case, Mangesh had seven FIRs against him, all linked to petty crimes of motorbike and mobile theft. The Wire has details of all the criminal cases against him.

It all began in Karaundi Kalan police station in Sultanpur when an FIR was lodged against unknown persons on July 11, 2021 for the theft of a bike. One Govardhan Nishad found his bike stolen in Budapur Purva Virval village where he had gone to watch an orchestra performance late at night on June 26. The FIR, however, was lodged two weeks later, on July 11. Police arrested Mangesh for the crime after his name surfaced in their investigation. But he was arrested for the first time on September 1, 2021 when police claimed to have found him trying to allegedly snatch a mobile phone while riding the stolen bike belonging to Nishad.

While pleading for bail in the bike theft case, Mangesh pointed out that he was not named in the FIR, which was itself registered after undue delay.

Mangesh told a local court in Sultanpur that he would often visit the neighbouring Pratappur village where his relatives lived. In the village he would sometimes play cricket with the local boys. During one such cricket match, Mangesh said he got involved in a “political” argument with another boy, Mohit Pandey. This escalated and Mangesh accused Pandey of threatening him with harm.

On September 1, 2021, Mangesh alleged, Pandey, his father and........

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