Jhansi (UP): Mohd Asad, son of former SP MP Atiq Ahmad, along with his aide Ghulam, has been shot dead in an alleged encounter by a team of Special Task Force (STF) in Jhansi.
Both carried a reward of Rs five lakh on their heads, according to the local police.
The STF team led by Deputy SP Navendu and Deputy SP Vimal carried out the alleged encounter at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign-made weapons have been recovered from the two deceased.
Asad had been caught on camera opening fire at Umesh Pal in Dhoomanganj in Prayagraj on February 24.
The alleged encounter took place on a day when Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf are being produced in court in Prayagraj.
ADG STF Amitabh Yash said that the STF had asked the two to surrender but they opened fire after which the team had to retaliate, the local police claimed.
Meanwhile, Atiq Ahmad broke down in court during hearing when informed of his son's killing.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav meanwhile accused the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh of carrying out a 'fake encounter' to eliminate Atiq Ahmad's sone and his associate in Jhansi.
Akhilesh said that the ruling party was trying to divert the attention of the people from the real issues plaguing the state.
He said the BJP government did not believe in the judiciary and was taking the law into its own hands. He said it was not right for those in power to pass judgement on who was right or wrong and to decide who should live or die.
Yadav tweeted in Hindi, "With fake encounters, the BJP government is trying to divert attention from the real issues. The BJP does not believe in courts at all. Today's and recent encounters should also be thoroughly investigated and the culprits should not be spared. Those in power do not have the right to decide what is right or wrong. BJP is against harmony."
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged encounter of Asad Ahmad and his associate.
In a tweet, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said:
"Apprehensions of a repeat of the Vikas Dubey encounter has come true, and people were discussing about the 'truth' behind the encounter."
Mayawati said that a high-level probe would set to rest all speculations, and bring the truth out in the open.
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