Jailed gangster Atiq Ahmed's son killed in encounter in Uttar Pradesh

Modern weapons, including foreign-made pistols, were recovered from the slain criminals the police said

Mafia don turned politician Atiq Ahmed's son Asad Ahmed, who was wanted in connection with the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of an MLA, in Prayagraj, was on Thursday gunned down in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh police in Jhansi district, about 300 kilometers from here.

An accomplice of Asad, identified as Ghulam, was also killed in the encounter, police officials here said. Both Asad and Ghulam carried a reward of Rs five lakh on their heads.

UP additional director general of police, law, and order, Prashant Kumar said here that acting on a tip-off a team of the special task force (STF) of the state police intercepted two motorbike-borne people on the UP-MP border in Jhansi and were asked to stop. The duo, however, opened fire prompting the police to retaliate. The duo, who suffered injuries in the encounter and later died, were identified as Asad Ahmed and Ghulam, who were wanted in connection with the killing of Umesh Pal, Kumar added.

He said that modern weapons, including foreign-made pistols, were recovered from the slain criminals.

Also Read — Atiq Ahmed, brother produced in Prayagraj court in Umesh Pal murder case

Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of the then BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, was sprayed with bullets in Prayagraj town, about 200 kilometers from here, a few days back allegedly by seven shooters.

While the BJP leaders and UP ministers hailed the UP cops for killing Asad and Ghulam, the opposition leaders said that the encounter was 'fake' and termed it as an attempt by the BJP government to 'divert' the attention of the people from other pressing issues.

''I congratulate the UP police.....the killers of Umesh Pal deserved such an end,'' UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

''The BJP government wants to divert the people's attention from real issues by fake encounters.....BJP doesn't believe in courts.....the government does not have the right to say what is wrong and what is right,'' Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav said. BSP supremo Mayawati also demanded a high-level probe into the encounter.

Earlier two alleged shooters, accused in the Umesh Pal killing, were killed in encounters with the UP police.

SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav had, a few days back, apprehended that one of the sons of Ateeq could be killed in the encounter. ''Mark my words.....one of the sons of Ateeq may be killed in an encounter in the next few days,'' Yadav had said last month.