DIGITAL NEWS GURU NATIONAL DESK :-
Gallantry Awards for Uttar Pradesh Police Officers Involved in Encounter Killing of Gangster Atiq Ahmad’s Son !
In a significant and controversial development, several officers from the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force (STF) have been awarded the prestigious President’s Police Medal for Gallantry. This recognition comes in the wake of their involvement in the encounter killing of Mohammad Asad Khan, son of former MP Atiq Ahmad, and his associate Mohammad Ghulam.
The encounter took place on April 13, 2023, in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, and has since been a focal point of discussions surrounding law enforcement methods, justice, and the ongoing crackdown on organized crime in the state.
The Background of the Encounter:
Atiq Ahmad, a former Member of Parliament with a notorious criminal background, and his family were embroiled in several high-profile criminal cases. Among these was the murder of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal.
Umesh Pal’s murder in February 2023, a brazen daylight attack in Prayagraj, shook Uttar Pradesh and led to widespread outrage. Ahmad’s son, Mohammad Asad Khan, was identified as the prime suspect in the attack, with CCTV footage reportedly showing him firing at Umesh Pal.
The Uttar Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, adopted a “zero tolerance” policy towards crime, particularly focusing on high-profile criminals and gangsters. In this context, Asad Khan and his associate Mohammad Ghulam were on the run, with bounties of Rs 5 lakh each on their heads.
On April 13, 2023, the STF tracked Asad and Ghulam to Jhansi. According to the official police account, the duo, upon being asked to surrender, attempted to flee and opened fire on the pursuing officers. The STF, acting in self-defense, returned fire, resulting in the deaths of both Asad and Ghulam. The encounter, however, was met with skepticism and accusations of being a staged “fake encounter,” prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to establish a judicial commission to investigate the incident.
The Judicial Commission’s Findings:
In August 2024, a two-member judicial commission, comprising retired Allahabad High Court judge Rajiv Lochan Mehrotra and former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Vijay Kumar Gupta, submitted its findings. The commission upheld the police’s version of events, stating that the encounter was genuine and that there was “no malice, personal interest, conspiracy, or fault” on the part of the STF officers involved.
This report was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, clearing the officers of any wrongdoing.
The commission’s findings were crucial in justifying the government’s decision to honor the STF officers with gallantry awards. The report emphasized that the police acted within the boundaries of the law and were responding to an imminent threat posed by Asad and Ghulam during the encounter.
The Gallantry Awards and Their Significance:
On August 15, 2024, Independence Day, the Union Home Ministry announced the recipients of the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry. Among the honorees were Deputy Superintendents of Police Vimal Kumar Singh and Navendu Kumar, Inspectors Gyanendra Kumar Rai and Anil Kumar Singh, and Head Constables Sushil Kumar and Sunil Kumar. These officers were recognized for their “extraordinary bravery” in neutralizing a significant threat posed by Asad Khan and his associate.
In total, 17 police officers from Uttar Pradesh were awarded the gallantry medal, highlighting the state’s aggressive stance against crime under the Yogi Adityanath administration.
The awards also recognized officers involved in other controversial encounters, including the killing of Praveen Dubey, an aide of the infamous Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey, in 2020.
Public Reaction and Controversy:
The awarding of gallantry medals to the officers involved in the Asad Khan encounter has sparked mixed reactions. Supporters of the Yogi Adityanath government and the law enforcement agencies argue that these awards are a testament to the state’s firm resolve to combat organized crime and maintain law and order.
They see the honors as a well-deserved recognition of the risks taken by police officers in the line of duty.
However, critics, including human rights activists and opposition political parties, have expressed concern over the state’s increasing reliance on encounters as a tool of justice. They argue that such actions undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent, where extrajudicial killings are celebrated rather than scrutinized.
The skepticism surrounding the judicial commission’s findings also fuels the debate, with some questioning the impartiality of the investigation and the broader implications for justice in India.
The broader context of the encounter and subsequent awards reflects the ongoing struggle in India between maintaining public safety and adhering to the principles of justice and due process.
The Uttar Pradesh government’s approach, characterized by a heavy-handed crackdown on crime, has been both lauded for its effectiveness and criticized for its potential overreach.
Conclusion:
The gallantry awards bestowed upon the Uttar Pradesh police officers involved in the encounter killing of Mohammad Asad Khan and Mohammad Ghulam underscore the complex and often controversial nature of law enforcement in India.
While the state celebrates these officers as heroes who took a firm stand against crime, the broader implications of such encounters continue to spark debate.
The balance between upholding the rule of law and ensuring public safety remains a delicate and contentious issue, with the encounter in Jhansi serving as a poignant example of this ongoing challenge.
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