UP Police Kill Both Attackers in Encounter Linked to Ex-Muslim Saleem Wastik Case

Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday killed two suspected assailants in a gunfight during an encounter in Gonda district, officials said, in connection with an alleged attack plot targeting ex-Muslim social media personality Saleem Wastik.

According to police, intelligence inputs had revealed a conspiracy by a small group of extremists planning a violent attack. Acting on this information, a joint police unit tracked the suspects to a rural area near Civil Lines in Gonda. When officers attempted to apprehend the men, they reportedly opened fire, prompting the police to return fire in a brief but intense encounter that left both suspects dead.

Authorities have identified the deceased as members of a local radicalised cell, though specific organisational links are still being verified.

The incident follows a recent online controversy involving Saleem Wastik, a former Muslim who has been outspoken on social media about religious identity and ideological issues.

Senior officers from the UP Police Crime Branch and Counter-Terrorism Unit briefed media, saying internal security threats will be met with “firm and decisive action.” They stressed that due process will continue even as provisional identifications and preliminary evidence are assessed.

Further updates are expected as forensic reports are completed and potential additional suspects are pursued.