Judicial Commission Clears UP Police Encounters as Legitimate Self-Defence

A judicial inquiry commission in Uttar Pradesh has validated three police encounters related to the Umesh Pal murder case. The commission confirmed the encounters as real and executed in self-defense. The report, presented in the UP Assembly, ruled out any malice or conspiracy from the policemen involved.

A judicial inquiry commission has validated the legitimacy of three police encounters in Uttar Pradesh tied to the high-profile Umesh Pal murder case. The commission declared the incidents real and as acts of self-defense.

The report, tabled in the UP Assembly, sheds light on the encounters that resulted in the deaths of suspects, including Asad Ahmed, son of slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 Raju Pal murder case, was murdered in February 2023.

The commission, led by retired Justice Rajiv Lochan Mehrotra and retired DG of UP Police Vijay Kumar Gupta, found no fault by the police, confirming the encounters were necessary for self-defense. The report is supported by medical exams, forensic evidence, and witness testimonies.

(With inputs from agencies.)