SP questions Ankit Baliyan encounter; demands probe into police action
Synopsis
The SP is challenging not just the encounter but the entire policing model — arguing that killing accused after a crime is 'pressure policing', not prevention. With two shooters dead, two still absconding, and the Gogi gang's shadow looming, the Ankit Baliyan case has become a flashpoint over encounter accountability in Uttar Pradesh.
Key Takeaways
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad demanded an investigation into the Shamli encounter on 31 August , calling the circumstances 'a matter of investigation.' Two accused — Sumit (24) and Mohit (22) , both from Sonipat, Haryana — were killed in the encounter; both allegedly linked to the Gogi gang .
Haryanvi singer Ankit Baliyan was shot dead outside his gym in Shamli on 26 August by four assailants on two motorcycles.
SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma compared the failure to prevent Baliyan's killing with the Sidhu Moose Wala murder, calling reactive encounters 'pressure policing.' Two other accused in the case remain absconding ; police say efforts to trace them are underway.
Each of the slain accused reportedly carried a reward of ₹50,000 ; Mohit had 14 cases registered against him in Haryana.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday, 31 August raised sharp questions over the police encounter in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, in which two accused shooters allegedly involved in the murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Baliyan were killed, calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the police action.
SP's Core Objection
SP MP Awadhesh Prasad said the encounter warranted scrutiny, arguing that the legal system already provides for the harshest punishments through due process. Prasad made the remarks in Ayodhya.
'What circumstances and situations arose that led the police to carry out the encounter is a matter of investigation. Under the IPC and CrPC, even if a person is found guilty of the most serious crime, the law provides for punishment, including the death penalty or life imprisonment. Therefore, the circumstances under which this encounter took place need to be investigated,' Prasad said.
Opposition Draws Comparison to Sidhu Moose Wala Case
In Lucknow, SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma widened the party's criticism, questioning why law enforcement agencies failed to prevent the killing in the first place. He drew a direct parallel with the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
'The Central Government and the Uttar Pradesh Police need to understand one thing: Why are you not alert before such incidents occur? Earlier, you failed to prevent the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala in Punjab, and now you failed to prevent the murder of Ankit Baliyan. If any crime was prevented, then it's called policing, and if encounter is done after crimes happened, then it's called pressure policing,' Verma said.
What the Police Said About the Encounter
The two accused killed in the encounter were identified as 24-year-old Sumit and 22-year-old Mohit, both residents of Haryana's Sonipat and allegedly associated with the Gogi gang. Both reportedly carried a reward of ₹50,000 each. According to officials, around 14 cases were registered against Mohit in Haryana and one case against Sumit.
Shamli Superintendent of Police Narendra Pratap Singh said police teams had conducted an extensive checking drive across the district from midnight until morning. During the operation, two youths on a motorcycle bearing a Baghpat registration number allegedly opened fire at police personnel after being signalled to stop. When teams attempted to intercept them again in the Kotwali area, the accused allegedly opened fire a second time, leading to the encounter.
The Baliyan Murder: What Happened
Ankit Baliyan was shot dead outside his gym in Shamli on 26 August, when four assailants allegedly arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire. A day later, a person claiming association with the Gogi gang took responsibility for the killing through a social media post. Two other accused linked to the murder remain absconding, and efforts to trace them are ongoing.
What Happens Next
With the Opposition demanding an independent probe into the encounter and two accused still at large, pressure on the Uttar Pradesh Police is likely to intensify. The case has reignited a broader national debate about encounter killings and whether they substitute for, rather than complement, due legal process.
Point of View
And the pattern of accused dying before trial forecloses judicial scrutiny of the evidence. The Baliyan case is not isolated — it follows a well-worn script of gang-linked killings, social media claim of responsibility, and a swift encounter. What is missing, repeatedly, is prevention and prosecution. Comparing it to the Moose Wala killing is rhetorically effective, but the structural failure is the same: celebrity-level targets receive protection only after a threat is publicised, not before.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ankit Baliyan and how was he killed?
Ankit Baliyan was a Haryanvi singer and YouTuber who was shot dead outside his gym in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, on 26 August. Four assailants allegedly arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire at him. A person claiming association with the Gogi gang later took responsibility through a social media post.
Who were the two accused killed in the Shamli encounter?
The two accused killed were identified as Sumit, 24, and Mohit, 22, both residents of Sonipat in Haryana and allegedly linked to the Gogi gang. Both reportedly carried a reward of ₹50,000 each; Mohit had around 14 cases registered against him in Haryana.
Why is the Samajwadi Party questioning the encounter?
SP MP Awadhesh Prasad argued that even in the most serious criminal cases, the law provides for punishment through due legal process — including the death penalty or life imprisonment — and that the circumstances of the encounter must therefore be independently examined. The party has called the police action 'pressure policing' rather than genuine crime prevention.
What did the Uttar Pradesh Police say about the encounter?
Shamli SP Narendra Pratap Singh said the two accused were spotted on a motorcycle with a Baghpat registration number during a checking drive. They allegedly opened fire at police after being signalled to stop, and fired again when intercepted in the Kotwali area, leading to the encounter.
Are all accused in the Ankit Baliyan murder case accounted for?
No. Two other accused linked to the murder remain absconding, and the Uttar Pradesh Police say efforts to trace them are ongoing. The two shooters killed in the encounter were among the accused identified so far.
