Shanti Devi, mother of lawyer Umesh Pal who was killed in February, on Thursday thanked Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and expressed her full faith in the Uttar Pradesh government, for giving "justice" after gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's son was shot dead in a police encounter.
"I thank CM Yogi ji for serving justice and I appeal to him to give us justice ahead also. We have full faith in CM," said Shanti Devi, mother of Umesh Pal, the advocate who was killed in Prayagraj earlier this year.
"This is a tribute to my son. I thank the Chief Minister and the police department which discharged their duties," Shanti Devi told reporters in Prayagraj.
Asad along with his associate Ghulam, both of whom were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Jhansi today.
Jaya Devi, Umesh Pal's wife also thanked the chief minister.
"I thank the Chief Minister who took such a decision. He gave punishment to the killers of his daughter's husband. It is justice. I expect that the Chief Minister will do good whatever he does. I express my gratitude to the Chief Minister who is like a fatherly figure," she said.
Both Asad and Ghulam carried rewards of Rupees five lakhs each on their heads.
The police said that foreign-made weapons were recovered from the duo.
"Asad, son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ghulam S/o Maksudan, both wanted in Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj and carrying a reward of Rupees five lakhs each; killed in encounter with the UPSTF team led by DySP Navendu and DySP Vimal at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign made weapons recovered," UP STF said.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were this morning brought to the CJM Court in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Umesh Pal was killed on February 24 this year. He was a prime witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya hailed the state Special Task Force and termed the action as a "message to criminals".
While speaking to ANI, Maurya said, "I congratulate UP STF for this action. Police fired in retaliation after they (Asad and his aide Ghulam) fired upon them."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)