Asad Ahmad Encounter: Gangster Atiq Breaks Down, Weeps Bitterly in Prayagraj Court After Son's Death

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad on Thursday broke down in Prayagraj court after learning about the death of his son Asad and one of his aides in Jhansi in an encounter by a team of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF). The court sent Atiq and his brother Ashraf to four-day police remand in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case.

Asad and his aide Ghulam were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case and gunned down in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police today afternoon.

The 60-year-old former Samajwadi Party MLA Atiq and Ashraf were produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Gautam at 11:10 am amid heavy security and they remained in the court for over two hours as the arguments proceeded.

An eyewitness, who was present in the courtroom, told News18 that during the hearing Atiq got the news of Asad’s encounter and he broke down and sat on the floor. After crying profusely, he asked for water to drink. Slogans such as “Atiq Ahmad Murdabad" and “Umesh Pal Amar Rahe" were also raised in the court premises.

For the court hearing today, Atiq was brought from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat and Ashraf was brought from Bareilly jail. This was the second time within a month that Atiq was brought from the Gujarat jail to Prayagraj via road for a court hearing.

Umesh’s wife Jaya Pal had filed a case on February 25 against Atiq, his brother Ashraf, Asad, Ghulam, and others. “They will be kept in Naini jail in Prayagraj till April 26," said advocate Vikram Singh, the counsel for Jaya.

Asad And Ghulam’s Encounter in Jhansi

Speaking on the encounter incident, Special Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “Asad and Ghulam were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj and were carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh each. They were killed in an encounter with an UP STF team. Sophisticated foreign made weapons were recovered from the accused."

Visuals showed two bodies lying beside a motorbike at the site of the alleged encounter. An ambulance later took them away.

STF officials said Asad and Ghulam were on the run since the murder of Umesh Pal on February 24. Several STF teams were pressed to track them down. On Thursday, they were trying to flee on a motorcycle when they were intercepted by an STF team in Jhansi, the officials said, adding they opened fire on the personnel and were killed in retaliatory firing.

Reaction of Umesh Pal’s Family

Reacting to it, Umesh’s family thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the police administration.

“Whatever they have done is right. He (the CM) has punished the killer of his daughter’s husband. I express my gratitude. He is like a father. Justice has been done," Jaya told the media and voiced hope that strict action would be taken against other accused.

When asked against who else she wanted action, she said, “I leave that to the government. The government is giving me justice."

Umesh’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."

Umesh Pal Murder Case

Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 killing 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.

The daylight killing on a busy street had raised questions over law and order in Uttar Pradesh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had vowed in the state assembly that he will “destroy" the mafia in the state.

Atiq, Ashraf, their family members and others were made accused in the Umesh Pal murder case based on a complaint by Jaya Pal. Atiq is also an accused in the Raju Pal murder case.

On March 28, an MP-MLA court held Atiq and two others guilty in connection with the kidnapping of Umesh Pal in 2006 and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life.

The FIR in the Umesh Pal murder case was lodged under IPC 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).

(with inputs from PTI)

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