Lucknow: Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad and an accomplice, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an exchange of fire with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi Thursday, officials said.
The alleged encounter took place apparently at the time Ahmad was in a Prayagraj court, where he was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in connection with the same murder and remanded to 14-day judicial custody. The court also allowed a five-day remand for the UP Police to question him.
The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have demanded an investigation into the Jhansi shootout, suggesting that the state’s Special Task Force staged a fake encounter.
Two other men have been shot dead in separate encounters with police since February 24, when Umesh Pal, a key witness to a 2005 political murder, and two policemen deployed to protect him were killed by gunmen in Prayagraj.
Atiq Ahmad, a former SP legislator, had earlier expressed apprehension that he himself could be killed by UP Police while being brought to Prayagraj from the Ahmedabad prison, where he was lodged in connection with another case.
When he was being taken to the city for Thursday’s court appearance, he made a similar remark.
“I am totally reduced to dust, but please don’t trouble the women and children of my family now,” the 60-year-old told reporters from inside a police van.
His son Asad Ahmad was caught on CCTV when Umesh Pal was killed and had been on the run for the past 50 days, police said.
In an apparent reference to Atiq Ahmad, Special Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said there were intelligence inputs that the convoy bringing the accused might be attacked to free him.
Thursday, police said an STF team led by two deputy superintendents of police reached Badagaon area in Jhansi district after getting information about the gangsters.
Asad and Ghulam, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh each, had tried to flee on a motorcycle, police said. They opened fire at the STF team when it surrounded them and the policemen retaliated, according to Kumar.
The officer said a British Bulldog revolver and a Walther pistol were recovered.
He said Chief Minister Adityanath congratulated the police personnel involved in the action.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also praised the STF and the UP Police. “Nobody will touch you if you don’t commit a crime, and nobody will be spared if they commit a crime,” he told PTI.
Umesh Pal’s family thanked Adityanath and the police. “Whatever they have done is right,” his wife Jaya Pal told reporters.
Terming Adityanath a father figure, she said, “He has punished the killer of his daughter’s husband. I express my gratitude,” she said. “Justice has been done.”
Umesh Pal’s mother said, “The two gunners who were killed in broad daylight today had committed a sin. They have been punished today. We have faith, we will get complete justice.”
SP president Akhilesh Yadav slammed the state government.
“By conducting fake encounters, the BJP government is trying to divert attention from real issues. The BJP does not believe in courts at all. Today’s and other recent encounters should be thoroughly investigated and the culprits not spared,” he tweeted in Hindi.
“Those in power do not have the right to decide what is right or wrong. The BJP is against brotherhood,” Yadav said.
BSP leader Mayawati linked the Jhansi encounter to the gunning down in 2020 of gangster Vikas Dubey, who had allegedly planned the ambush and killing of eight policemen in Kanpur.
She said a high level inquiry is necessary to get at the truth of Thursday’s encounter.
After the Umesh Pal murder, Akhilesh Yadav had flagged the law and order issue in the state assembly.
In the heated debate, CM Adityanath had then accused his party of “garlanding” gangsters like Atiq Ahmad and said the government will ground the mafias to dust (“mittee me mila denge”)
In February and March, two men who allegedly took part in the Prayagraj shooting were gunned down in separate police encounters.
One of them, Arbaaz, allegedly drove the car in which the gangsters came to kill Umesh Pal. The other, Usman, was allegedly among those who fired at him.
PTI
