ENCOUNTER KILLINGS IN INDIA: A LEGAL, CONSTITUTIONAL AND CRIMINAL LAW PERSPECTIVE

AUTHOR – SAKSHAM KATHURIA, STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY, NOIDA

BEST CITATION – SAKSHAM KATHURIA,ENCOUNTER KILLINGS IN INDIA: A LEGAL, CONSTITUTIONAL AND CRIMINAL LAW PERSPECTIVE, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (8) OF 2026, PG. 225-231, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Encounter killings, commonly understood as deaths resulting from alleged armed confrontations between police forces and suspected criminals, have increasingly become a recurring feature of India’s law enforcement framework. Although such incidents are frequently justified as acts of self-defence, their growing prevalence raises serious concerns regarding constitutional governance, accountability, and the functioning of the criminal justice system. Encounter killings, which are generally described as deaths occurring during alleged police confrontations, have increasingly become a part of India’s law enforcement reality. While authorities often justify such actions as necessary for maintaining order, their growing number raises serious concerns about legality, accountability, and the functioning of the criminal justice system.