A day after the encounter of Don turned politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad, fingers have been raised over the claims of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF). A former officer of Indian Police Service (IPS), UP cadre and chief of political outfit Adhikar Sena, Amitabh Thakur has sent a 12 point complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) raising questions over the encounter. Opposition parties including Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and AIMIM have already demanded a probe in the encounter.
It may be mentioned that UP STF on Thursday had killed Asad and his aide Gulam in an encounter at Jhansi district. UP Police had announced a cash reward of Rs five lakh on Asad who was absconding since the Prayagraj shootout. Umesh Pal, main witness in the murder of legislator Raju Pal was sprayed with bullets in February this year outside his residence. The family members of Umesh Pal had lodged FIR against Don Atiq Ahmad kins including son Asad and others in the case.
Former IPS sends complaint to NHRC over encounter
On Friday, former IPS Amitabh Thakur sent a 12 point complaint to NHRC in which he raised serious objections over the encounter. In the complaint Thakur has said that the picture released by the STF team head Navendu Kumar reveals false claims made about the encounter. He said that as per the law no one has the right to kill anyone. Even the dreaded criminal cannot be eliminated like this. Former IPS said that if such things are not checked there would be anarchy in the state.
In the complaint, Amitabh Thakur said `STF claimed Asad & Gulam were alive after the encounter was over but the picture released by it belies this. The pictures show both dead and STF’s claim of sending them to hospital through an ambulance is false. In another question, he said that pics of Asad show him lying beneath the handle of the bike which is not possible in case of an encounter. If the encounter was real, Asad would have been lying over the bike and not under it. Both the deceased have been shown holding guns in their hand in the picture which is not possible in an encounter as per the medico legal theory.
Besides, the former IPS has raised various other doubts such as the timing of FIR over the so-called encounter and demanded a proper probe into it. Earlier on Thursday and Friday, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav too had demanded a probe in the encounter. BSP Supremo Mayawati too has demanded investigation in the encounter and said that it is necessary to repose faith of common men in the law. The AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday said that any criminal must be brought to books by law and not be punished through encounter.
Burial yet to done, none claimed body so far
A day after the encounter, the burial of Asad and aide Gulam is yet to take place. According to UP STF no one has claimed the body so far and the Jhansi police are waiting for it. According to it, after 72 hours the police themselves would bury the bodies. Meanwhile, a grave has been dug in the burial ground of Atiq‘s native village Kasari at Prayagraj. It was learnt that the maternal uncle of Asad might claim the body but it has not been done so far. However, Jhansi police too has made arrangements for the burial of Asad and Gulam in the local Jeevan Sahay graveyard. According to officials, if no one from the family comes to claim the body, it might be buried in Jhansi. The members of Gulam’s family have already declined to claim his body.
Atiq confessed hand In Umesh Pal murder
Meanwhile don Atiq Ahamd who is in police remand since Thursday has confessed to have masterminded the murder of Umesh Pal. According to sources, Atiq accepted that he planned the killing of Umesh to maintain terror in Prayagraj. During quizzing Atiq said that the shootout was planned by him only and none other should be blamed for it.
