“My husband was a monster.

“My husband was a monster. He used to brutally beat me and my children. He would hold a knife to my children’s necks and blackmail me. I had been fasting for two days and he didn’t even allow me to eat. My mother had called me home to break my fast, but then my husband, Afsar Khan alias Baura, arrived there and killed my mother and brother. I am extremely grateful to the Bareilly Police for eliminating him in the encounter. If the police had not stopped him, he would have killed me and my children too. I want to thank the Bareilly Police from the bottom of my heart.” These were the words of Sayma, the wife of Afsar, who was killed in the police encounter. Sayma is currently admitted to a hospital in Bareilly and her condition is said to be stable. When she learned that her husband had been killed in the encounter, she reportedly appeared relieved and said: “Thank Allah, now my children and all of us will finally be safe.” And yes — credit should also go to the administration and police action that made sure a dangerous criminal could not harm anyone again.