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Political row erupts after police gun down Atiq’s son, aide in UP
The death of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's son in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police has triggered a political row in India. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed the operation, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have demanded a probe into the killing. Ahmad's son and his alleged accomplice were killed by police in Jhansi in connection with the murder of a lawyer. The SP called the encounter "fake", while the BSP said it could be a repeat of the "Vikas Dubey incident", referring to a controversial police encounter in 2020.
Lucknow: The death of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police in Jhansi on Thursday triggered a political row after the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) demanded a probe into the killing even as chief minister Yogi Adityanath lauded the efforts of the police personnel involved in the operation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed the operation and termed it a “message to criminals”.
Asad and his alleged accomplice Ghulam -- both wanted in connection with Prayagraj-based lawyer Umesh Pal’s murder on February 24 -- were allegedly trying to flee on a motorcycle when they were intercepted by a special task force (STF) in Jhansi, police said, adding that the accused shot at the personnel and were killed in retaliatory firing.
In a statement, the chief minister’s office (CMO) said: “After the encounter of former MP Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and his aide, CM Yogi Adityanath took a meeting on law and order. CM Yogi praised UP STF as well as DGP, Special DG law and order and the entire team.”
Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also hailed the STF and said the killers of Umesh Pal had to meet this fate. “Congratulations to UP STF, this was the fate of the killers of Umesh Pal and police personnel!” he tweeted in Hindi.
Speaking to news agency ANI later, he said: “I congratulate UP STF for this action. Police fired in retaliation after they (Asad and his aide Ghulam) fired upon them. It is a message to criminals that this is the new India. It is Yogi govt in UP, not Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals.”
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, however, called the encounter “fake” and said the state government was trying to divert attention from real issues.
“By doing fake encounters, the BJP government is trying to divert attention from real issues. The BJP does not believe in courts at all. Today’s and other recent encounters should be thoroughly investigated and the culprits should not be spared. The government does not have the right to decide what is right or wrong. The BJP is against brotherhood,” the former chief minister tweeted in Hindi.
BSP chief Mayawati said the killing could be a repeat of the “Vikas Dubey incident”. Gangster Vikas Dubey was also killed in a controversial police encounter in 2020 after the car transporting him allegedly overturned.
In a tweet, Mayawati said: “People feel their apprehension of a repeat of the Vikas Dubey incident has come true. Therefore, a high-level inquiry is necessary so that the complete facts and truth of the incident can come before the public.”
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the encounter, and asked if the killers of Junaid (35) and Nasir (27) – who were allegedly kidnapped, beaten and murdered by members of right-wing groups in Haryana in February – would also be shot dead in an encounter.
“Will the BJP also shoot the killers of Junaid and Nasir in Haryana? Will you do their encounter as well? No, you won’t because you do encounters in the name of religion. You have made a joke out of the law. You want to do an encounter of the Constitution. You want to weaken the law,” the Hyderabad MP said.
anymore reactions? TMC?
