Gangster Son's Encounter Foiled Plan To Free His Father From Custody: Cops

With the killing of Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and his aide Ghulam, wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, in an encounter with UP Special Task Force in Jhansi on Thursday, a plan was foiled to help the jailed gangster to escape, Uttar Pradesh Police said.

State's Special Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar revealed that teams of civil police and special forces were deployed following the intelligence inputs that Asad was planning to free his father Atiq Ahmed by attacking the police convoy midway as the gangster turned politician was being brought in Uttar Pradesh for hearing.

"We had information that to help the accused Atiq and Ashraf escape there could be an attack on the police convoy bringing them back to UP in the case (Umesh Pal murder case). In view of this information, teams of civil police and special forces were deployed," said Prashant Kumar.

Revealing further as how the encounter took place, he said that based on the information, two teams were deployed and Asad was intercepted, while he was on a bike along with his aide Ghulam.

"Action was taken on the basis of information and at around 12:30 and 1 pm the duo were killed in a retaliatory firing," Mr Kumar said, adding that the Special Task Force conducted the entire operation.

He said special teams were constituted and were consistently following the case since the murder of Umesh Pal.

"On February 24, a major incident took place in Prayagraj, in which a witness was killed by some miscreants by firing and hurling bombs," the senior cop said. "Two uniformed personnel were also killed in the incident," he added.

"Since then the police constituted special teams, which cracked down on several occasions. In connection with this incident Arman, Asad, Guddu, and Sabir were identified and a reward of Rs 5 lakh was announced on their heads," police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)