'Asad's encounter foiled plan to free gangster Ahmed from custody'

LUCKNOW: With the killing of Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and his aide Ghulam, wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, in an encounter with UP Special Task Force in Jhansi on Thursday, a plan was foiled to help the jailed gangster to escape, Uttar Pradesh Police said.

State's Special Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar revealed that teams of civil police and special forces were deployed following the intelligence inputs of a plan by Asad of planning to free his father Atiq Ahmed by attacking police convoy midway as the gangster turned politician was being brought in Uttar Pradesh for hearing.

"We had information that to help the accused Atiq and Ashraf escape there could be an attack on the police convoy bringing them back to UP in the case (Umesh Pal murder case). In view of this information, teams of civil police and special forces were deployed," said Prashant Kumar.

Revealing further as how the encounter took place, He said that based on the information, two teams were deployed and Asad was intercepted, while he was on a bike along with his aide Ghulam.

"Action was taken on the basis of information and at around 12:30 and 1 pm the duo were killed in a retaliatory firing," Kumar said, adding that the Special Task Force conducted the entire operation.

He said special teams were constituted and were consistently following the case since the murder of Umesh Pal.

"On February 24, a major incident took place in Prayagraj, in which a witness was killed by some miscreants by firing and hurling bombs," the senior cop said.

"Two uniformed personnel were also killed in the incident," he added.

"Since then the police constituted special teams, which cracked down on several occasions. In connection with this incident Arman, Asad, Guddu, and Sabir were identified and a reward of Rs 5 lakh was announced on their heads," police said.

Earlier today, Asad and Ghulam, who were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj, were killed in a police encounter in Jhansi. Each of them carried a reward of Rupees five lakh each. The police said that foreign-made weapons were recovered.

"Asad, son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ghulam S/o Maksudan, both wanted in 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 DySP Navendu and DySP Vimal at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign-made weapons recovered," UP STF said.

Prayagraj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday sent gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf to four-day police custody in the Umesh Pal murder case.