Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh MLA and notorious rowdy Atiq Ahmed and his brother have been shot dead in the case of lawyer Umesh Pal’s murder. It has been reported that Atiq Ahmed was shot dead while his son Asad Ahmed was encountered the day before yesterday.
A few hours ago, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed by miscreants when they were being taken to Prayagraj for medical treatment. A video has been released of a mob shooting at the two reporters while they were talking to them.
Atiq Ahmed’s lawyer, Vijay Misra, said that someone from the crowd fired at Ahmed and his brother from close range. Lawyer Mishra Ahmed was standing with them when he was shot dead.
There is no official explanation from the Uttar Pradesh Police regarding this encounter yet. However, it seems that two people have been arrested.
Earlier last month, the Prayagraj court had sentenced 3 people including Atiq Ahmed to 2 years rigorous imprisonment and life imprisonment. Two days after the encounter with the son, the father and his brother were killed, creating tension in Uttar Pradesh.
Background of the case: In 2005, Bahujan Samaj MLA Raju Pal was killed by unidentified persons. Former MLA Atiq Ahmed and others were accused in this case. Advocate Umesh Pal was the key witness in the murder case. On February 28, 2006, he was abducted and brutally tortured. He was later released.
A case was registered against 10 people including Atiq Ahmed in connection with this kidnapping incident. Meanwhile, Umesh Pal was murdered on February 24. Atiq Ahmed was also included as the main accused in this case. In this context, a special court in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh passed a verdict in the Umesh milk kidnapping case yesterday. For this, Prayagraj, who was lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail, was brought under heavy security and produced before the court.
Judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla delivered the verdict in the 17-year-old case. According to this former MLA Atiq Ahmed, his accomplices Khan Saulat and Dinesh Baziagior were sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each. Due to lack of sufficient evidence, 7 people including Atiq Ahmed’s brother Khalid Azim were acquitted from the case.
It is to be noted that 101 cases are pending against Atiq Ahmed, who has served five times as MLA and once as MP.