Prayagraj: Ruling BJP lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh have hailed the Yogi Adityanath government’s prompt action in the Umesh Pal murder case after the UP Police gunned down an alleged shooter of the Atiq Ahmed gang during an encounter in the Kaundhiyara area of Prayagraj on Monday morning. According to reports, the shooter, who was seriously injured during the encounter, succumbed while being rushed to the hospital. He has been identified as Vijay Chaudhary alias 'Usman.' A policeman has also sustained injuries during the encounter and has been taken to hospital for treatment. 


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Usman was the first of all the assailants who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal – a key witness in the 2005 former BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case and his police security guards Sandeep Nishad and Raghvendra Singh on February 24 outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area. While Pal died on the same day, both the security personnel died later during treatment.


Reacting to the encounter, Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi tweeted a the photo of the accused, "Dreaded murderer Usman shot dead in an encounter with Police today."


 



 


In another tweet, Tripathi sought to remind “Did not we say no one will be spared”(Kaha than a ki mitti me mila denge)”.


 



 


BJP MP from Gorakhpur Ravi Kishan too hailed the Yogi Adityanath government for swift action in the Umesh Pal murder case.


 



 


The slain shooter Vijay Chaudhary alias Usman was shot dead in the Kaundhiyara police station area around 5.30 am, Dhumanganj Station House Officer (SHO) Rajesh Kumar Maurya said on Monday. A police officer said the encounter site was between Gothi and Belwa in Kaundhiyara police station area. Usman suffered bullet injuries in his neck, chest and thigh, he said.


He said Usman's brother Rakesh Chaudhary is lodged in Naini Central Jail and a dozen of cases including that of murder has been registered against him. A constable, Narendra Pal, was also injured in Monday's encounter. He suffered injuries to his hand and has been admitted to the Community Health Centre in Kaundhiyara.


On February 27, Arbaz, who allegedly drove the SUV of the assailants, was killed in an encounter with the police in Prayagraj. Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and nine others.


They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.


Jaya Pal had claimed that her husband was the prime witness in the Raju Pal murder case. In 2006, Atiq Ahmed and his aides abducted him and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal had registered a complaint in this regard and the case was ongoing.


Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed is the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case and is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on Sunday announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh for giving information about the five people, including gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmad's son Asad, allegedly involved in the killing of Umesh Pal.


Besides Asad, the other four accused on which reward was announced included Gulam, Guddu and Sabir.