Atiq Ahmad seeks nod to attend funeral of son Asad

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, who is currently in police custody in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case, has sought permission from a magistrate to attend the funeral of his son Asad who was killed in a police encounter.

Ahmed's lawyer Manish Khanna told PTI that since Friday was a holiday on account of Ambedkar Jayanti, the request has been sent to the remand magistrate.

The application will be presented in the court of chief judicial magistrate on Saturday, he said.

Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were interrogated by the police at Dhoomanganj police station on Friday.

The duo were taken for a routine medical examination later in the evening.

Asad and his accomplice Ghulam, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an exchange of fire with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi on Thursday.

The alleged encounter took place apparently at the time Ahmad was in a Prayagraj court, where he was presented before the chief judicial magistrate in connection with the same murder and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

The court also allowed a five-day remand for the UP Police to question him.

The relatives of Ahmed and Ghulam reached Jhansi on Friday evening to collect the bodies.

The bodies will be brought by road and are expected to reach Prayagraj on Saturday.

On Friday evening, a large number of people gathered in Atiq Ahmed's locality Kasari Masari following rumours that Asad's body was being brought to Prayagraj.

However, since the body has not been handed over to the relatives till late Friday evening, it is expected that the last rites would be performed on Saturday.

A police official said additional force would be deployed during Asad's last rites so that no untoward incident takes place.