A man identified as Varun - who was reported to be a lawyer - waited for hours outside the MP/MLA court Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj Tuesday holding a garland of shoes to ‘welcome’ gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad, who was later convicted in the 2006 kidnapping of lawyer Umesh Pal and given a life sentence.
The man claimed the shoes in the garland belonged to the now-deceased lawyer - who was also the prime witness in the Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal murder case and who was later gunned down outside his residence.
"If I make Atiq Ahmed wear a garland of footwear, Pal community and lawyer community will be happy. He killed a member of the lawyer community, they will be happy he has come to hear his sentencing by wearing a garland of shoes. These are the footwear of family members of Umesh Pal and Raju Pal."
Earlier in the day, Umesh Pal's family had demanded a death sentence for the five-time MLA. "...We don't have the strength to fight a case in the time to come. He (Atiq Ahmed) should be sentenced to death by hanging. If he is sentenced to life imprisonment, he can do anything from jail. He got my son killed from jail. He won't let us live if he remains there..." Umesh Pal's mother Shanti Devi said.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier in the day, Umesh Pal's family had demanded a death sentence for the five-time MLA. "...We don't have the strength to fight a case in the time to come. He (Atiq Ahmed) should be sentenced to death by hanging. If he is sentenced to life imprisonment, he can do anything from jail. He got my son killed from jail. He won't let us live if he remains there..." Umesh Pal's mother Shanti Devi said.
{{/usCountry}}"I hope court sentences him (Atiq Ahmed) to death by hanging. If he lives, perhaps we won't be able be alive. Maybe it would be us next. If he is gone only then will terror be gone..." the deceased lawyer's wife Jaya Pal said.
Ahmed was earlier held guilty in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case by a UP court.
The accused in the case were brought to the court amid tight security a short while back. Ahmed, was brought from Gujarat's Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj's Naini jail on Monday after an over 24-hour long drive from Gujarat.
Ahmad and former corporator Dinesh Pasi were convicted of Section 364 A ( Kidnapping a person and the person being put in danger of being murdered ) of IPC among others. Ahmad was also the prime accused in the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal, who was later shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.