Two relatives of triple murder accused Asad Ahmed, shot dead by Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday, left Allahabad for Jhansi on Friday morning to receive his body but turned back after covering 150km, apparently fearing “harassment” by the police.
A special task force team had gunned down Asad, third son of former Samajwadi Party MP and alleged gangster Atiq Ahmed — who is serving a life term in jail — and Ghulam in the Parichha area of Jhansi.
“Asad’s maternal grandfather Mohammad Harun and mausa (uncle) Mohammad Usman had left for Jhansi to receive the body. Later, the family realised they might get into trouble as the police are working mysteriously and might harass them,” a member of Atiq’s legal team said, asking not to be identified.
A special task force team had gunned down Asad, third son of former Samajwadi Party MP and alleged gangster Atiq Ahmad – who is serving a life term in jail --- and Ghulam in the Parichha area of Jhansi.
The duo were accused of killing a lawyer, Umesh Pal, and his two police guards in Allahabad in February because he had deposed against Atiq in a 2005 murder case.
BSP chief Mayawati, Samajwadi president Akhilesh Yadav and his wife and MP Dimple Yadav have alleged that Asad and Ghulam were killed in a “fake encounter”.
“Asad’s maternal grandfather Mohammad Harun and mausa (uncle) Mohammad Usman had left for Jhansi to receive the body. Later, the family realised they might get into trouble as the police are working mysteriously and might harass them,” a member of Atiq’s legal team said, asking not to be identified.
“So, we called them back after they had covered about half the distance. We have told the police that nobody will receive Asad’s body in Jhansi and they have said the body will be brought to Allahabad late on Friday night.”
The lawyer added: “We are making arrangements for his burial on Saturday in the Kasari-Masari graveyard of Allahabad City, where Atiq’s father Firoz Ahmad was buried, if the police hand over the body to us.”
Ghulam’s mother Khushnuda Begum said: “The entire country saw the (CCTV) footage that showed Ghulam and others firing at Umesh on February 28 this year. He killed someone and the police killed him.
“We refuse to accept his body. Maybe his wife wants something else but my younger son Rahil Hassan and I will stay away from him even in death.”
Atiq and younger brother Ashraf have been in jail for five years as undertrials in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal, the case in which Umesh had testified against them. Last month, Atiq was sentenced to life for kidnapping Umesh in 2006 to intimidate him.
The brothers are in police remand till Tuesday for interrogation in the murder of Umesh and in connection with possible ISI links.
Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen is accused of conspiracy in the murder of Umesh and is in hiding.
Dimple said on Friday: “Fake encounters have been taking place in Uttar Pradesh ever since this government (of Yogi Adityanath) came to power.”
