AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday raised concerns about the legality of the alleged encounter that led to the death of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and an accomplice in Uttar Pradesh.
Talking to reporters here, he said there would be an inquiry as per the Supreme Court guidelines, but that "so-called encounters should not take place".
"Indeed, whether it is Umesh Pal or Raju Pal, we have sympathy for them. Because, those people were murdered. How can we support those who committed the murder? But, there is a process, law, Constitution. You get them punishment. Who is stopping you? You get them life (imprisonment)," he said.
He was referring to media reports that raised questions on the alleged encounter.
"That's why I am saying encounter should not happen. We are not supporting any mafia don. But we were against encounters and will remain against so-called encounters," he said.
Asked about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's reported remarks that the mafia would be destroyed, he said that the said mafia could be destroyed by putting them behind bars.
Owaisi also said local body polls were scheduled to happen in May in Uttar Pradesh but did not elaborate.
The AIMIM chief recalled that encounters of those involved in Left wing wxtremism used take place in undivided Andhra Pradesh in the 1990s and that he used to speak against those encounters in the Legislative Assembly.
He said he felt that people's faith in the Constitution had declined due to encounters, which are extra-judicial killings. "Rule of law gets weakened with encounters," he said.
"My consistent stand has been that I have been against encounters, and spoke on it," he said.
Recalling that shots were fired at his vehicle one year ago, he said he did not seek the encounter of those who fired the shots but spoke against those who were behind them.
Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and an accomplice, 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, officials said.
Attacking the BJP for conducting encounters "in the name of religion", Owaisi on Thursday sought to know whether those who burnt to death the two youth in Haryana would also be killed in an encounter.
-With PTI Input
