A key witness in the murder of former Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Allahabad on Friday, putting a question mark on chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s claim of improvement in the law-and-order situation of Uttar Pradesh.
Eyewitnesses said there were six attackers who also hurled bombs at Umesh Pal and his two security guards. Umesh died in the hospital while the two constables are receiving treatment for bullet and pellet injuries.
“We are not in a position to say anything at the moment. The condition of the two is critical. We are yet to arrest anybody,” said a police officer, who didn’t want to be named.
Raju Pal was killed on January 25, 2005, when he was MLA from Allahabad West. Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad are in jail in connection with the murder. Allahabad High Court had asked the trial court in January to dispose of the case within two months.