February 25, 2026

UP Police Kills Umesh Pal Murder Accused In An Encounter

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2023-04-13 15:04:46

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Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

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The UP Police Special Task Force today killed Asad Ahmed, son of former MP and dreaded gangster Atiq Ahmed (who is in jail), and Ghulam, both accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, in an encounter in Jhansi. Asad and Ghulam were wanted, with a reward of Rs 5 lakh on their head, and were on the run. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was gunned down outside his home in Prayagraj in February this year. His two police security guards were also killed by the assailants. After Asad and Ghulam were identified and named as main accused in the case, they absconded. The UP Police was searching for them and today's encounter was the result of a chance stoppage of a bike and order to produce documents. The bikers, later identified as Asad and Ghulam, opened fire when challenged. It was reported that Asad was in disguise and had changed 6 cities while on the run.

While UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the Special Task Force, opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav termed it a 'fake' encounter. Yogi Adityanath had, after Umesh Pal's murder, promised to bring Atiq Ahmed's gang to heel. Observers see this encounter a step in that direction. It is reported that 42 rounds were fired and sophisticated foreign-made weapons were discovered from the dead accused. But both the SP and the BSP have demanded a high level inquiry into the encounter killing. They have alleged that the Special Task Force conducted a fake encounter and has been doing to to play judge, jury and executioner in order to wipe out alleged criminals.