From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Jailed gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and his accomplice Ghulam were killed in an encounter off Jhansi by a UP special task force team led by Deputy SPs Navendu and Vimal, after they opened fire on the team.
Police had been on the lookout for the two after the murder of Umesh Pal, in which Atiq is involved. Each carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
Seizures from the two included sophisticated arms, new cellphone and sim cards.
Atiq, a former MP and MLA, was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by an MP-MLA court in an abduction case last month.
The abduction case goes back to July 2007, when Atiq and his aides were accused of kidnapping and torturing Umesh Pal, who was the primary witness in a murder case in which Atiq was allegedly involved. Umesh Pal and two of his bodyguards were murdered in broad daylight in Allahabad in February this year, leading to a huge uproar in the UP assembly. Atiq is also the main accused in the murder of Umesh Pal.
The abduction case goes back to July 2007, when Atiq and his aides were accused of kidnapping and torturing Umesh Pal, who was the primary witness in a murder case in which Atiq was allegedly involved. Umesh Pal and two of his bodyguards were murdered in broad daylight in Allahabad in February this year, leading to a huge uproar in the UP assembly. Atiq is also the main accused in the murder of Umesh Pal.
Both Asad and Ghulam were wanted in the same murder case. The police have claimed that Asad played a pivotal role in coordinating Pal’s murder, The Times of India reported.
Earlier, two of Atiq’s alleged aides, accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, were killed in separate encounters by the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Atiq was a former gangster who became a politician. He served as both an MP and an MLA and is said to have close links with many political parties in UP, including the BJP and Samajwadi Party.
Atiq has more than 100 cases registered against him. It has been alleged that Atiq, who was lodged in the Deoria prison, planned Umesh Pal’s murder remotely in February.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath had said in the state assembly that the SP has fostered crimes such as the killing of Umesh Pal and vowed to “drag them to the ground.”
Atiq was transferred to Sabarmati jail in Gujarat for security reasons after Umesh Pal’s murder.
On Thursday, Atiq and his brother Ashraf were produced before a chief judicial magistrate in Prayagraj pertaining to the murder case.
Atiq has more than 100 cases registered against him. It has been alleged that Atiq, who was lodged in the Deoria prison, planned Umesh Pal’s murder remotely in February.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath had said in the state assembly that the SP has fostered crimes such as the killing of Umesh Pal and vowed to “drag them to the ground.”
On Thursday, Atiq and his brother Ashraf were produced before a chief judicial magistrate in Prayagraj pertaining to the murder case.
In March, BJP leader and former MP Harinarayan Rajbhar had said that Atiq should be brought out of jail and killed in an encounter.
Ever since the BJP government led by Adityanath came to power in Uttar Pradesh, they have made it clear the police can perform ‘encounter killings’ whenever they like and as they see fit, and will even be encouraged to do so. Atiq had earlier approached the Supreme Court, saying that he feared he would be killed in a fake encounter like Vikas Dubey.
In March, Prayagraj administration in Uttar Pradesh demolished a house in which Atiq’s wife and children were living on rent.
