Asad Ahmad killing: Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP, Yogi over 'false encounter'

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has slammed Uttar Pradesh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for using 'fake encounters' to divert attention from 'real issues'. Yadav, a former UP chief minister, tweeted shortly after state police confirmed the killing of Asad Ahmad - the son of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad - in an encounter in Jhansi district.

Asad and Atiq Ahmad are both accused in the killing of lawyer Umesh Pal.

"By doing false encounters, the BJP government is trying to divert attention from the real issues. The BJP does not believe in the court at all. Today's and recent encounters should also be thoroughly investigated and the culprits should not be spared," Yadav tweeted.

"The (government) does not have the right to decide what is right or wrong."

Asad Ahmad's killing comes less than a month before UP civic body polls.

Asad and another accused in the same case - Ghulam - were shot dead in Jhansi and police recovered two foreign-made weapons.

Each had a reward of ₹5 lakh on their heads. The weapons were a .455 bore British Bulldog revolver and Walther P88 7.63 bore pistol.

Read Here: Atiq Ahmad's son Asad shot dead in UP Police encounter: 5 things about him

Asad Ahmad was killed on the day his father was produced before a court in Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. According to reports, Atiq cried in court when told of his son's death. Earlier, he had a bottle thrown at him while being taken inside.

The Umesh Pal murder case

Pal was a witness to the 2005 killing of Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Raju Pal, in which both Atiq and Asad Ahmad are accused. Pal was killed February 24 outside his home in Prayagraj.