A key accused in the sensational daylight killing of an eye witness in the murder of a BSP MLA was gunned down allegedly in an armed encounter by the Uttar Pradesh police in Prayagraj district on Monday morning.
According to the police sources here, the accused, identified as Usman alias Vijay Chaudhary, sustained serious gunshot injuries in the encounter near Koundhiara area in the district. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead.
Usman, who was allegedly the first one to open fire at Umesh Pal, a key witness in the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head.
Incidentally Usman was the second accused person to have been killed in an encounter. Earlier, the police had shot dead Arbaz in an encounter at a Park in Prayagraj town a few days back. Arbaz was said to be driving the vehicle by which the assailants of Umaesh Pal had escaped.
Usman's wife, however, claimed that her husband was 'innocent' and that her family had no link with Ateeq Ahmed, the alleged mastermind behind Umesh Pal's killing.
BJP MLA and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath's former media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi hailed the killing of Usman and said that the state government had said that all those involved in the killing of Umesh Pal would be 'buried'.
Former MP and mafia don turned politician Ateeq Ahemd, who was also suspected to be the mastermind behind the killing of Umesh Pal, had expressed fear that he could also be killed in an encounter by the police. Ahmed, who is currently lodged in jail, has sought security and has approached the court in this regard.
BJP MP Subrat Pathak and UP minister J P S Rathore had dropped hints earlier saying that such criminals should be killed in encounters.
An FIR was lodged naming Ateeq Ahmed, his wife Shaista Parveen, his brother Ashraf and his two sons. Fourteen people, including Ateeq's two sons, were taken into custody in this regard. Ateeq and Ashraf were accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.