The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's priority is law and order, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Civil Aviation, General VK Singh (retd) said in response to the recent encounter where Atiq Ahmed's son was killed by the UP Special Task Force.

"CM Yogi's priority is law and order. He is following that path. We should not see or speak more than that. Different kinds of terminology go around, and different types of words are used in politics. But the main thing is law and order," he said, reported ANI.

The Minister stated that those who attempt to escape from the law will face consequences.

Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and another accused, Ghulam, were killed in a morning encounter in Jhansi on Thursday.

Both of them were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case. Each of them carried a reward of Rupees five lakhs.

"Asad, son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ghulam S/o Maksudan, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj; killed in an encounter with the UPSTF team led by Dy SP Navendu and Dy SP Vimal at Jhansi. Sophisticated foreign-made weapons recovered," UP STF said.

Shanti Devi, mother of slain lawyer Umesh Pal, expressed gratitude towards UP CM Adityanath and faith in the state government for delivering justice.

"I thank CM Yogi ji for serving justice and I appeal to him to give us justice ahead also. We have full faith in CM," said Shanti Devi.

Umesh Pal, the advocate, was killed in broad daylight in Prayagraj earlier this year.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, praised the state's Special Task Force for the encounter and referred to it as a "message to criminals".

"I congratulate UP STF for this action. Police fired in retaliation after they (Asad and his aide Ghulam) fired upon them. It is a message to criminals that this is the new India. It is the Yogi govt in UP, not Samajwadi Party in power which gave protection to criminals," Maurya told ANI.