Atiq Ahmed’s Son and Notorious Criminal Killed in Encounter with UP STF
Jhansi/Prayagraj, 13th April 2023: The son of gangster-turned-MP Atiq Ahmed, Asad Ahmed, was killed today in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF). Asad had been on the run for several days in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj. Another wanted criminal, Ghulam, was also killed in the encounter.
The UP STF, led by DSP Navendu and DSP Vimal, had been searching for Asad and Ghulam, who had a reward of five lakh rupees each on their heads. The encounter took place in Jhansi, where both criminals opened fire on the STF team, resulting in their deaths, police said.
According to UP STF ADG Amitabh Yash, the team had attempted to capture the criminals alive but had to retaliate when they fired at the officers. State-of-the-art weapons made abroad were found on the bodies of Asad and Ghulam.
The wife of the victim in the Umesh Pal murder case, Jaya Pal, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the encounter. She said, “I thank Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. What he has done he has done very well. He punished the murderers of his daughter’s husband. Justice has been done today…the police cooperated a lot.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised the UP STF officials involved in the encounter and called a meeting of police officers to maintain law and order.
Sources revealed that Asad Ahmed had been staying at a house in Delhi’s Sangam Vihar from 27 February to 14 March. The UP STF had raided the place on 29 March but did not find him there. They had interrogated a criminal named Khalid, who provided logistical support to Asad, and arrested him the next day. The Special Cell shared several inputs with the UP STF based on Khalid’s interrogation.
Police sources claimed that Khalid had made all arrangements for Asad and Ghulam during their stay in Delhi. Asad used to operate from Lucknow and passed class 12 from a top school there. However, he could not go abroad for further studies as his family’s criminal antecedents had prevented his passport clearance. Asad had taken over the command of Atiq Ahmed’s gang after his two elder brothers surrendered in court last August.
The police had not been aware of Asad’s involvement in criminal activities until Umesh Pal’s murder, which was captured on CCTV footage. Asad and Ghulam had been wanted in the case ever since. The encounter with the UP STF has put an end to their reign of terror.
