"Encounter politics is violation of legal system", Brinda Karat on encounter of Atiq's son

New Delhi [India], April 13 (ANI): Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat on Thursday, condemned the encounter of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and another accused Ghulam, wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case and called 'encounter politics' as a violation of the country's legal system.
She said that whoever the accused, the police should resort to bringing justice through legal means, and not through encounters.
Talking to the reporters, Karat said, "Our party completely opposes Encounter Politics, what is the meaning of encounter if criminals are punished against the legal process? Why can't you (UP administration) arrest them? Why are you not able to arrest the criminals when you claim that the law and order situation is so robust in UP?"
She further added, "Encounter politics means that the administration is itself not sure that in which case they want to arrest the accused".
The former Rajya Sabha MP also said, "I am not talking about this particular case only. But, 'encounter politics' itself is a violation of our country's legal system. We are strongly against crime and criminals. But what is the meaning of encounter, whoever it may be? Stop doing encounters, and register the case and get the culprit punished".
Earlier in the day, Atiq Ahmed's son Asad, and another accused Ghulam, were killed in an encounter.
Both of them were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj. Each of them carried a reward of Rupees five lakhs.
"Asad, son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ghulam S/o Maksudan, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj and carrying a reward of Rupees five lakhs each; killed in an encounter with the UPSTF team led by DySP Navendu and DySP Vimal at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign-made weapons recovered," UP STF said.
Reacting to the encounter, Shanti Devi, the mother of slain lawyer Umesh Pal on Thursday thanked Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and expressed her full faith in the Uttar Pradesh government, for giving "justice".
"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 broad daylight in Prayagraj earlier this year.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also hailed the state Special Task Force on the encounter and termed the action, 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. It is a message to criminals that this is the new India. It is the Yogi govt in UP, not Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals". (ANI)