‘Count 20 bullets as one’: Doctor claims UP cops forced post-mortem cover-up to fake encounter

Gun shot

A senior doctor in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district has levelled explosive allegations against the local police, accusing them of staging fake encounters and pressuring medical officials to falsify postmortem reports to cover their actions.

The claims were made publicly by Dr Deepak Chaudhary, the chief medical superintendent of the Shamli Community Health Centre (CHC), during a protest by health workers on Wednesday. According to a report by TOI, Dr Chaudhary stated, "Cops bring bodies riddled with 20 bullet wounds and compel us to document only one injury in the postmortem report."

He further alleged that in such cases, the bodies of those killed routinely show signs of "blackening around the bullet wounds". A forensic expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted by TOI confirming the significance of this detail, stating, "Blackening around a gunshot wound clearly indicates that the shots were fired from point-blank range."

This forensic observation appears to directly contradict standard police accounts of encounters, which often claim that criminals opened fire first and were killed in subsequent "retaliatory action".

The allegations emerge against a backdrop of significant police action in the state. Since 2017, Uttar Pradesh has recorded a staggering 15,726 police encounters, resulting in 256 deaths and 10,324 injuries. The Meerut Zone, which includes Shamli, has been particularly active, accounting for 4,453 of these encounters, with 85 individuals killed and 3,131 injured. Shamli itself witnessed two separate encounter incidents in October where two wanted criminals were killed.

Shamli Superintendent of Police NP Singh reportedly dismissed Dr Chaudhary’s allegations as "baseless." He asserted, "All encounter cases are handled strictly in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines. Postmortems are conducted by a panel of doctors with mandatory videography."

In a pointed rebuttal, SP Singh also questioned Dr Chaudhary’s direct knowledge, noting that as per official records, the doctor had never been assigned to a postmortem panel at the district hospital, as he is posted at the separate CHC.

Dr Chaudhary’s decision to go public with the sensational claims came during a protest he was leading outside the Kotwali police station. The demonstration was not initially about encounters, but was organised to decry what the health workers termed "police inaction" in a theft case.

Dr Chaudhary reported that a sum of Rs 5 lakh was stolen from his official quarters in a burglary on October 21. He explained that the thieves broke in by removing window grilles and stole cash along with official documents.

The doctor, who is currently being treated for a serious liver condition and may require a transplant, said that the stolen money was earmarked for his medical emergencies. He expressed frustration with the police response, alleging, "Instead of probing the case, officers are questioning me about the source of the money, putting the spotlight on me rather than the criminals."

The protest was called off after Circle Officer (City) Amardeep Maurya assured the demonstrators that dedicated investigative teams had been formed and promised the case would be solved within a week. An First Information Report had already been registered under sections 305A (theft) and 331(3) (house-trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Providing an update on the theft investigation, SP Singh stated that the accused had been identified and detained earlier, but was released temporarily due to illness on Tuesday. He confirmed that the individual would be questioned again upon recovery and that the investigation was progressing as per procedure.