Gangster Atiq Ahmad's son Asad, wanted in the murder of Umesh Pal has been killed in an encounter by he Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force in Jhansi.
Asad and another accused Ghulam, also wanted in the murder case, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakhs each. "The UP STF team was led by Deputy SP Navendu and Vimal. Sophisticated foreign made weapons were recovered from the accused. Further details are awaited," Special Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prasahant Kumar said.
Responding to the news of Asad's death, Pal's mother Shanti Devi said it is a 'tribute' to her son and thanked UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for 'delivering justice'.
"The UP STF team was led by Deputy SP Navendu and Vimal. Sophisticated foreign made weapons were recovered from the accused. Further details are awaited," the officer added.
“It is a message to criminals that this is the new India. It is Yogi govt in UP, not Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals,” UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said.
Atiq and his brother were produced before the Prayagraj court on Saturday in connection with the case. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two police security guards were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area on February 24 this year.
Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered on February 25 against Ahmad, Ashraf, their family members and others. The FIR was lodged under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.