"Gangsterism and Crime Control in India: A Comparative Study of Uttar Pradesh and Ladakh" 

This study undertakes a critical examination of the trajectory of police encounters in post-independence India, situating the phenomenon within broader socio-political contexts. It aims to interrogate the underlying patterns and power dynamics that inform the occurrence of such encounters, with particular attention to the categories of individuals most frequently subjected to them—namely, those from socially marginalised backgrounds, alleged offenders, and political dissidents. Employing a comparative framework, the study analyses the divergent approaches of Uttar Pradesh, a state with substantial political clout, and Ladakh, a Union Territory operating under a different administrative structure. This comparison enables an exploration of how state-level political pressures differ from centrally governed mechanisms in shaping the justification, frequency, and public perception of police encounters. The research further investigates the instrumental role of state and central investigative agencies—including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax (IT) Department, and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—in shaping the narrative around extrajudicial action. Particular emphasis is placed on the extent to which political influence—whether emanating from ruling parties or opposition groups—contributes to the legitimisation or concealment of such encounters. By scrutinising the intersections of political expediency, institutional complicity, financial motivations, and media framing, the dissertation seeks to determine whether police encounters are primarily employed as tools for political consolidation or as mechanisms to assert law and order within a democratic framework.