‘Tribute to my son’: Umesh Pal's mother on Asad Ahmad encounter. Watch

Shanti Devi, mother of slain lawyer Umesh Pal, on Thursday thanked Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and state police department for action against gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad, killing him in an encounter in Jhansi. Stating that the family had been demanding encounter of those who killed her son on February 24, Shanti Devi said today’s action is a tribute to her son’s death to some extent.

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“We were demanding an encounter but it was not under our control. I would like to than the chief minister and the police dept for abiding by their duty and delivering justice. Whatever has been done, is according to the legal system,” said Umesh Pal’s mother addressing media after the encounter.

On being asked about action against Atiq Ahmad, she added, “I have heard that he is under police remand. Police will question him about the case acordingly. If he is guilty, the court will give him punishment and if proven innocent, he will get bail.”

Jaya Devi, Umesh Pal's widow also thanked the chief minister and said “I thank the Chief Minister who took such a decision. He gave punishment to the killers of his daughter's husband. It is justice. I expect that the Chief Minister will do good whatever he does. I express my gratitude to the Chief Minister who is like a fatherly figure.”

Asad and another accused Ghulam were wanted in Umesh Pal murder case and carried a reward of ₹5 lakh each. Sophisticated foreign made weapons recovered from both the slain accused.

Lawyer Umesh Pal was a key witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Raju Pal in Prayagraj, a case in which gangster-turned-politician and ex-MP Atiq Ahmad and his brother and former MLA Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf were the prime accused.

On February 24, a group of assailants fired at Umesh Pal outside his home in Prayagraj, killing the lawyer and his two security guards and sending shock waves through the state.

(With ANI inputs)