‘Yogi gave me justice’: SP MLA Pooja Pal says ‘my husband's killer was buried by Uttar Pradesh CM’

Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal, whose husband Raju Pal was shot dead by Atiq Ahmed and his associate, thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for zero-tolerance policy against crime that improved law and order in the state.

The SP MLA said that the UP CM gave her justice by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed.

Speaking at the UP Assembly during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047,' Pooja Pal said, "Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju Pal). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM gave justice to many other women like me in Prayagraj by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Today, the entire state looks at the CM with trust," she said.

Praising CM Yogi, she said, "Mere pati ke hatyare Atiq Ahmed ko Mukhya Mantri ne mitti mein milaane ka kaam kiya' (The Chief Minister has buried my husband's murderer Atiq Ahmed."  She further added," I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started getting exhausted with this fight, CM Yogi Adityanath gave me justice." BSP MLA Rahu Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in 2005, days after his wedding with Pooja Pal.

In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. Several rounds were fired, and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners. Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were the prime accused and were arrested by the police. On April 15, 2023, they were shot dead by men posing as press persons on the night of April 15 while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.