Accused in Umesh Pal murder case shot dead in police encounter in Prayagraj

A person who police claim was involved in the Umesh Pal murder case has been shot dead in a police encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Monday.

Prayagraj (UP): One of the accused in the Umesh Pal murder case was killed in an encounter with the police on Monday in Prayagraj's Dhumanganj area. The encounter as per the initial details took place in the Nehru Park area of Sulemasarai locality.

The police identified the deceased accused as Arbaaz who was riding one of the bikes used in the assassination. The police also suspect that more miscreants involved in the Umesh Pal murder case are hiding in the area. "We are combing the area for more suspects," a police official said. The deceased Arbaaz, reports said, was a close acquaintance of former SP MP Atiq Ahmad, who is one of the accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

"Accused Arbaaz was shot during the encounter that took place near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj earlier today. On the day of the incident, he was driving the car that was used for murder and he also fired upon," ADG law & order Prashant Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Arbaaz, the ADG said, died during treatment in the hospital. "UP administration and police have initiated a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters and mafias. To also take action against those protecting such people," he said. Pal, along with one of his gunmen, was assassinated outside his residence by a bunch of miscreants who shot after several rounds at him and his security personnel on Feb. 24.

He was shot dead in broad daylight outside his residence in Prayagraj. The CCTV footage of the assassination had gone viral on social media. Pal was the prime witness in the 2005 murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal. The footage shows Pal and his security personnel getting down from a white vehicle when a bunch of miscreants start firing at them. Several other attackers fielded near a local vegetable cart and a grocery shop opened fire and also hurled smoke bombs to disguise themselves.