Uttar Pradesh: Why The Umesh Pal Murder Case Revives The Worst Memories Of SP Regime

One of the accused in the murder of Umesh Pal was fatally shot in an encounter with the Prayagraj police on Monday (February 27), after which he succumbed to his injuries during treatment in the hospital.

The man named Arbaaz was a close aide of former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Atique Ahmed.

This action of the UP police comes just days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath vowed to destroy the mafias in the state.

Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead on 24 February outside his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. He was rushed to a hospital where he died during treatment.

The complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal has accused Atique Ahmed, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, two sons, and ten others.

Atique Ahmed, a mafia-turned-politician, is the prime accused in the murder of Raju Pal too. He was murdered just months after winning the Allahabad (West) constituency on his electoral debut, after defeating Ahmed’s brother Ashraf.

Ahmed was a five-time MLA from the Prayagraj constituency. His family has been contesting the seat without a gap from 1989 to 2017. While Ahmed is currently in jail, his wife Shaista Parveen recently joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Atique Ahmed and his family’s ties with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav are also being questioned now. Ahmed has been an MLA and an MP on an SP ticket.

Pictures of Akhilesh Yadav with one of the key accused Sadaqat Khan, have now gone viral on social media as well.

Meanwhile, Puja Pal, wife of Raju Pal and an SP MLA, has requested enhanced security cover for herself from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. So far, Uttar Pradesh police have detained over 40 people, including Ahmed’s relatives, and are set to question him at Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.

The murder of Umesh Pal has also forced BSP chief Mayawati to speak out and she has promised that Shaista Parveen would be expelled from the party if she was found guilty during the probe.