Second Accused in Sultanpur Jewellery Store Robbery Case Killed in Encounter: Who Was Anuj Pratap Singh?

Anuj Pratap Singh, an accused in the Sultanpur jewellery store robbery case, was gunned down by the Uttar Pradesh police’s special task Force (STF) in a pre-dawn encounter in Unnao district on Monday.

The encounter follows a similar one on September 5, when Mangesh Yadav, another accused in the August 28 robbery, was gunned down by the STF.

The development comes seven days after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav stated that Mangesh was killed because of his caste and had accused the STF of carrying out caste-based encounters in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states while terming it Special Thakur Force.

Anuj Pratap Singh’s father called his son a victim of politics and said, “Akhilesh Yadav’s wish has been fulfilled. Now a Thakur has been encountered.”

Officials with the UP police, which jointly carried out the operation along with the STF, said that the incident took place in the Achalganj police station area in Unnao district early on Monday morning. During the encounter, Anuj Pratap Singh got injured, while another accused managed to escape. “Anuj was rushed to the nearby hospital by 108 ambulance service. After initial treatment, Anuj was referred to the district hospital, where he was declared dead,” a senior police officer privy to the development said.

Additional director general Amitabh Yash confirmed the incident and said Anuj was gunned down in Unnao in an exchange of fire.

Criminal history

Anuj Pratap Singh, a resident of Janapur under Mohanganj police station in Amethi, was a close associate of Vipin Singh, the alleged mastermind behind the Sultanpur robbery. Anuj had a criminal history, including alleged involvement in a robbery in Surat, Gujarat. Two cases were registered against him—one in Sultanpur and another in Gujarat—both related to robbery, fraud, and loot. According to the police, on August 28, 2024, five armed assailants, including Anuj Pratap Singh and Mangesh Yadav, forcibly entered Bharat Soni’s jewellery store in the bustling Thatheri Bazar of Sultanpur’s Chowk area. The group made off with ornaments and cash valued at Rs 1.5 crore. The robbery caused a major embarrassment for the Sultanpur police, as the robbers managed to escape while crossing four police outposts without detection.

On September 5, UP STF shot Mangesh Yadav in an alleged encounter. So far, eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the robbery. Vinay Singh, the alleged mastermind, surrendered. While Anuj Pratap Singh and Mangesh Yadav have been shot dead, other suspects are still at large.

Mangesh’s killing triggered Yadav versus Thakur row

Mangesh Yadav’s killing had triggered a row as opposition Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused Uttar Pradesh’s BJP government of selectively targeting criminals based on caste, calling it “Thakur vs Yadav”.

“It seems that the ruling party had deep connections with the people involved in the Sultanpur robbery. This is why the ‘main accused’ was contacted before the robbery and made to surrender. Other accused were shot in the leg for show and Mangesh Yadav was killed on the basis of caste,” wrote the SP chief on social media site X. “Fake encounters turn the protector into a predator. The solution is not fake encounters, but real law and order.”

Akhilesh also alleged that robbery mastermind Vipin Singh was strategically allowed to surrender as he belonged to the dominant Thakur caste. In a statement at News18 India’s ninth season of its annual summit, Chaupal, he also termed UP STF “Special Thakur Force”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too questioned the working of the STF and wrote on X, “A professional force like the STF is being run like a ‘criminal gang’ under the BJP government.”.

However, UP police dismissed the allegations, saying the actions were “completely impartial and based on evidence”. The department also released the CCTV footage of the jewellery shop in Sultanpur in which Mangesh Yadav, Anuj Pratap Singh and others could be spotted during the robbery.

Anuj’s father Dharam Raj Singh said his son was not a dreaded criminal. “Unlike other dreaded criminals, named in dozens of cases and carrying cash rewards on their heads, Anuj hardly had one or two cases and yet he was encountered. Anuj didn’t deserve such a tragic end; he became a victim of politics,” he said.