Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has warned that those involved in the murder of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case, will be “spared”. Pathak made this comment a few days ago, warning UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that all mafias and criminals would be wiped out. “Regular investigation is going on in connection with the matter and those involved will not be spared. Whoever is guilty will be punished by the authorities,” Pathak said.
Umesh Pal, the key witness in the 2005 MLA Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead by an unidentified person while stepping out of a Hyundai Creta SUV in Prayagraj, camera footage showed.
In a major development, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday gunned down an alleged shooter of the Atiq Ahmed gang during an encounter in Kaudiyara area of Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. According to reports, the shooter, who was critically injured during the encounter, succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. He has been identified as Vijay Chowdhary alias Usman. A policeman has also suffered injuries during the encounter and has been admitted to the hospital for treatment.
The slain shooter is said to be the first of the assailants who attacked Umesh Pal and his security guard on February 24 this year. After the encounter, Usman was taken to Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical Hospital, but died on the way. The UP police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on Usman.
Significantly, the main witness of the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, Umesh Pal and his police security guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead outside their house in Dhumanganj area of Prayagraj.
Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed is the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case and is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. On Sunday, the UP Police had announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh each for arresting or giving information about the five people involved in the murder of Umesh Pal.
Based on the complaint of Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a case has been registered against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, his wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, associates Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and nine others at Dhumanganj police station.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh to the person who catches the accused of murder. The accused have been identified as Asad Ahmed, Armaan, Ghulam, Guddu Muslim and Sabir. Police said, ‘Many teams of UP Police are constantly trying to arrest the accused.’
attached the property of the accused
In a related development, the property of one of the accused in the murder of a key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal was also frozen in Prayagraj. Earlier one of the accused – Arbaaz – was shot dead in the exchange of fire near Nehru Park area in Prayagraj’s Dhumanganj. ADG Law and Order Prashant Kumar had said, ‘Accused Arbaz was shot dead during an encounter near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj. monday.
He said, “Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and police have launched a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters and mafia. Action is also being taken against those who give shelter to such people.”