Asad Ahmad encounter killing a ‘message to…’: Uttar Pradesh deputy CM. Yogi Adityanath praises UP Police

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s office said he has praised UP Police’s Special Task Force for the encounter killing of Asad Ahmad – the son of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad – in the state’s Jhansi district.

According to news agency ANI, the CM chaired a meeting on law-and-order in the state after news of Asad Ahmad’s killing and congratulated the Director-General of Police, the Special Director-General (Law and Order) and the team of cops involved.

Meanwhile, UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has declared Asad Ahmad’s killing ‘historic’ and boasted of a ‘message’ to other criminals – that chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s government is in charge.

“I congratulate UP STF for this action. Police fired in retaliation after they were fired upon by them. It is a message to criminals that this is the ‘new India’.”

“It is the Yogi government in UP, not the Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals. This is a very historic action by UP Police… era of criminals is over… (they) must surrender,” he was quoted by news agency ANI.

Asad Ahmad and another fugitive – Ghulam – were wanted in connection with the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal. They carried a ₹5 lakh reward on their heads.

Police said foreign-made weapons were recovered from the scene.

Asad’s father is Atiq Ahmad, the gangster turned politician who was today brought before a court in UP’s Prayagraj – from his jail in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad – and sent to extended judicial custody even as his son was killed.

Atiq Ahamd reportedly broke down in court when told of his son’s death. Earlier, a bystander at the court threw a bottle at Atiq Ahmad as he was taken inside.

Atiq Ahmad is also an accused in the killing of Umesh Pal, who was a witness in the 2005 killing of Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Raju Pal and was shot dead – as were his two security guards – at his home in Prayagraj on February 24.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has slammed Yogi Adityanath and the ruling BJP for ‘fake encounters’ to divert people’s attention from ‘real issues’ with less than a month to go for state-wide civic body polls.

“By doing false encounters, BJP government is trying to divert attention from real issues. BJP does not believe in the court at all. Today’s and recent encounters should also be thoroughly investigated…” Yadav tweeted.

“The (government) does not have the right to decide what is right or wrong.”