Encounter foiled plan to free Atiq from custody: Police

With the killing of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and his aide Ghulam, in an encounter with UP Special Task Force in Jhansi on Thursday, a plan was foiled to help the jailed gangster to escape, Uttar Pradesh Police said. State’s Special Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar revealed that teams of civil police and special forces were deployed following the intelligence inputs of a plan by Asad of planning to free his father Atiq Ahmed by attacking police convoy midway as the gangster turned politician was being brought in Uttar Pradesh for hearing. “We had information that to help the accused Atiq and Ashraf escape there could be an attack on the police convoy bringing them back to UP in the case (Umesh Pal murder case). In view of this information, teams of civil police and special forces were deployed,” said Prashant Kumar.