'Fake' encounters are staged in UP: Akhilesh on killing of Atiq Ahmad's son

This was not the first time fingers have been pointed at the UP government over "fake" encounters in the state, he said

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has said that questions have been raised over "fake" encounters in Uttar Pradesh and the BJP-ruled state has received maximum NHRC notices on such actions, remarks coming in the backdrop of death of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad in a gunfight.

Speaking here on Thursday, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also took a jibe at his successor Yogi Adityanath over his "will reduce mafia to dust" comments made in the Assembly, saying those who mouth such "filmi dialogue" have no faith in the Constitution.

Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and an accomplice, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an exchange of fire with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi on Thursday. The alleged encounter took place apparently at the time Ahmad, a former SP legislator, was in a Prayagraj court, where he was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in connection with the same murder.

Asked about the gunfight, Yadav told reporters this was not the first time fingers have been pointed at the UP government over "fake" encounters in the northern state.

Apparently referring to the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey in an encounter in July 2020 near Kanpur, the SP leader said not many believed the Uttar Pradesh police version that the vehicle carrying him from Madhya Pradesh had overturned.

The UP police had then claimed Dubey was shot dead when he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur.

"Recently in Kanpur, when the hut of a mother-daughter duo was bulldozed and then set afire, both lost their lives. Similarly, one Pushpendra Yadav was killed in a fake encounter (in 2019). A person died in police custody in Kanpur.

"In Balia, BJP workers killed a promising student leader. In Balia again, money lenders pressured a trader to such an extent that he lost his life," Yadav said.

"Filmy dialogue like 'mitti me mila denge' (will reduce to dust) is uttered by those who don't have faith in the Constitution, he said, attacking CM Adityanath.

Specifically asked whether Atiq Ahmad's son was killed in a fake encounter, Yadav said questions have been repeatedly raised against the Uttar Pradesh government over "fake" encounters in the state.

"The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has given maximum notices to the UP government (over police actions like encounters). Maximum number of custodial deaths in the country take place in Uttar Pradesh," he claimed.

The SP leader arrived in Boravan town of Khargone district to pay respects to late Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh deputy chief minister Subhash Yadav.