2nd accused in Umesh Pal case gunned down in UP encounter

Prayagraj/Lucknow, March 6: The man who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal, a key witness in the killing of former BSP legislator Raju Pal, was gunned down in an encounter with Prayagraj police early Monday, officials said.

Vijay Chaudhary alias Usman suffered bullet injuries in his neck, chest and thigh during the encounter, the police said.

The encounter took place between Gothi and Belwa under the Kaundhiyara police station area around 5.30 am, Dhoomanganj station house officer Rajesh Kumar Maurya said.

Usman’s wife Suhani has accused the police of killing him in a fake encounter after picking him up earlier Monday.

Constable Narendra Pal also suffered injuries to his hand during the encounter and has been admitted to the local community health centre, additional director general, law and order, Prashant Kumar said.

The police said the gang members of the gangsterturned-politician Atiq Ahmed, the main accused in the 2005 Raju Pal murder case who is lodged in a Gujarat jail currently, gave Vijay Chaudhary his second name “Usman”. His brother Rakesh Chaudhary is lodged in Naini Central Jail and a dozen of cases, including murder, have been registered against him.

The police said Usman was the one who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal on February 24 outside his home in Dhoomanganj. While Umesh Pal succumbed the same day, his two security personnel died later during treatment. Umesh Pal was a key witness in the Raju Pal murder case.

A video of the killing of Umesh Pal in broad daylight had gone viral on social media and raised questions about law and order in UP.