Why was Umesh Pal killed? Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed’s 2012 letter has clues
Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed allegedly got Umesh Pal murdered to retain his power and authority. Pal, a witness to the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was shot dead outside his home in February this year.
On August 17, 2012, Ahmed wrote to then Home Secretary of Uttar Pradesh and said that Umesh Pal had filed a false case against him. “Because of this, my image is being tarnished and my respect is decreasing,” the letter said.
According to Atiq Ahmed, Umesh Pal’s kidnapping case was completely false. He wrote: “Umesh Pal has filed a fake case against several people, including me and my brother, in this matter. Because of this, my image is being tarnished and my respect is decreasing. I tried to meet Umesh Pal several times but he refused… Get the case finished soon. It is a long pending case.”
Following his arrest in Umesh Pal’s murder, Atiq reportedly told the police that, because of Umesh Pal, his influence was dwindling and he got Pal killed to save his ’empire’.
Atiq told officials that he had asked Umesh Pal to meet him several times, but Pal refused. This enraged him and led to the murder, Ahmed allegedly told the police.
On April 15, the gangster-politician was shot dead along with his brother by men posing as journalists outside a government hospital in Prayagraj where they were taken for a medical check-up at night by the police. His son, Asad, was killed in an encounter by the UP police on April 13.