'Mafias were protected under SP, BSP today they are scared in UP'

NEW DELHI: Praising the law and order situation of Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday lauded the Yogi Adityanath government over the encounter of Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and another accused Ghulam. Talking to media persons, Anurag Thakur said, "Mafia and criminals were protected under the rule of SP and BSP in UP. But, today the mafias are scared. They know that they will face action if they will commit something wrong".

Earlier on Thursday, Atiq Ahmed's son Asad, and another accused Ghulam, were killed in an encounter. Both of them were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj. Each of them carried a reward of Rupees five lakhs.

"Asad, son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ghulam S/o Maksudan, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj and carrying a reward of Rupees five lakhs each; killed in an encounter with the UPSTF team led by Dy SP Navendu and DySP Vimal at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign-made weapons recovered," UP STF said. Reacting to the encounter, Shanti Devi, the mother of slain lawyer Umesh Pal on Thursday thanked Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and expressed her full faith in the Uttar Pradesh government, for giving "justice".

"I thank CM Yogi Ji for serving justice and I appeal to him to give us justice ahead also. We have full faith in CM," said Shanti Devi, mother of Umesh Pal, the advocate who was killed in broad daylight in Prayagraj earlier this year. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also hailed the state Special Task Force on the encounter and termed the action, a "message to criminals".

While speaking to ANI, Maurya 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 the Yogi govt in UP, not Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals".