Main witness in MLA murder case in which ex-MP is prime accused shot dead in Prayagraj

Umesh Pal, the main witness in the murder case of Uttar Pradesh’s Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal in 2005, was shot dead outside his house by an unidentified gunman in Prayagraj.

CCTV footage shows Umesh Pal and one of his two police bodyguards getting out of the SUV outside his house when suddenly a man came from behind and shot him. His two bodyguards were also injured in the firing.

Atiq Ahmed, a mafia don and former Lok Sabha MP currently lodged in a Gujarat jail and his brother ex-MLA Khalid Azim are the prime accused in the Raju Pal murder case.

The police said accomplices of the killer also threw crude bombs which exploded leaving thick smoke on the road that created a scare in the area with people running for cover.

Umesh Pal, who appeared to be injured, ran towards an alley with the attacker in pursuit while his bodyguards lay injured on the road. The attacker shot him once again before escaping.

Umesh Pal was taken to a local hospital, where he died during treatment, the police said.

The condition of one of the bodyguards is critical and he has been put on a ventilator, while doctors are performing a surgery on the other, the police said.

“The incident happened right outside Umesh Pal’s home. So far it has been confirmed that two bombs were thrown and he was fired at by a small firearm,” Prayagraj police chief Ramit Sharma told reporters.

A murder case has been filed.

“We have formed eight teams to investigate every aspect of the incident and arrest those behind the attack,” Sharma said.