Umesh Pal’s mother, wife demand death penalty for Atiq Ahmed after life sentence verdict

• Prayagraj court has given life imprisonment to Atiq Ahmed in the kidnapping case
• Seven others including Ahmed’s brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were acquitted in the case
• After the judgement, lawyers and people gathered outside the court raised “Atiq murdabad” slogans

Minutes after gangster Atiq Ahmed was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case, his family demanded the death penalty for the former Samajwadi Party MLA, saying he should also be convicted in the "murder case".

Umesh Pal, the main witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was gunned down in broad daylight on February 26 on the streets of Prayagraj. Ahmed and his brother Ashraf are said to be the masterminds of the murder. Umesh Pal's mother and wife told the media shortly after the verdict that they welcomed the verdict and had faith in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to "provide justice".

“They did not respect the black coat and khaki uniform. It's been 18 years since my son was kidnapped. He was a fighter. I trust the court. Atid Ahmed was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping my son, but he should get the death sentence for murdering my son. I have faith in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” Pal's mother Shanti Devi said.

"We are satisfied with the verdict so far. Atiq Ahmed should be given the death sentence for killing my husband. We want justice and I request UP CM Yogi Adityanath to help us. If he and his brother survive, it will be a problem for us and the society,” said Jaya Devi.

Ahmed and two others were awarded life sentences by the MP MLA court in Prayagraj in the kidnapping case. Special judge MP-MLA Dinesh Chandra Shukla found Ahmed, lawyer Saulat Hanif and Dinesh Pasi guilty in the case, government counsel Gulab Chandra Agrahari said. Seven others, including Ahmed's brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, were acquitted in the case, he said.

Soon after the verdict, lawyers and people gathered outside the court raised slogans of "Atiq murdabad" as the crowd expressed anger against the convicts and celebrated the verdict in the 17-year-old case Umesh Pal was also a lawyer.