ATIQ Ahmed's son, Asad, has been killed by a team of Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force in an encounter on Wednesday in Jhansi. Asad Ahmed is the third son of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed. The Uttar Pradesh Police also claimed that they recovered "sophisticated foreign made weapons" during the action. Another person, Ghulam, was also killed in the encounter.
Police teams had been hunting for Asad since February 24, when he led the attack on lawyer Umesh Pal that killed the latter. Umesh Pal was the main witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal.
But who is Asad Ahmed?
The third son of Atiq Ahmed, Asad is believed to have taken up the reigns of his father's crime empire. The responsiblity of handling Ahmed's businesses fell on Asad after his two elder brothers had surrendered in court, according to media reports.
Asad allegedly used to operate from Lucknow, where he completed his high school. He wanted to abroad to pursue higher studies but could not do it since his passport was not cleared due to his family's criminal record. He had wanted to be a barrister but now is dead as a criminal.
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He was among the several shooters who were involved in the murder of Umesh Pal. His face was caputred in the CCTV footage of the incident. Since then he has been on the radar of Uttar Pradesh police which had launched a manhunt for him.
The Uttar Pradesh Police had put a reward of five Lakh Rupees on the head of Asad. Asad was still in school and away from the ongoings of his father's affairs when Atiq Ahmed was jailed and his brothers started running the show. However, in the aftermath, of Umesh Pal's February 24 murder, he became one of the most wanted persons in UP and the award on his head was the highest in his family.
Asad had allegedly taken instructions from Atiq and his uncle Khalid Azim, aka Ashraf, to plan to the murder of Umesh Pal.
The whole saga had started in 2005 when Ashraf was defeated by a BSP MLA Raju Pal from the Allahabad West assembly seat, which was vacated by Atiq Ahmed after he became a Member of Parliament. Months later, Raju Pal was shot dead on busy Prayagraj street. Ashraf and Atiq were named as the prime accused. Umesh Pal had become the main witness in the case.
In 2006, Umesh Pal was kidnapped. Atiq Ahmed was convicted by a Prayagraj court in this kidnapping just last month. Ashraf was acquitted by the court in this case. Umesh Pal was shot in a similar fashion as Raju Pal on February 24 just outside his residence.
(With agency inputs)