Prayagraj (UP), Feb 27 (IANS): One sharpshooter involved in the Umesh Pal murder case has been shot dead by the police after an encounter.

The Special Operations Group of the Uttar Pradesh Police and the district police shot the accused, identified as Arbaz, at the Nehru Park in Prayagraj on Monday.

Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead on Friday evening at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.

Umesh Pal was shot dead by an unidentified man while he was getting out of the backseat of a Hyundai Creta SUV in Prayagraj. Pal was rushed to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, where he succumbed during treatment. Pal's autopsy report revealed that he was shot seven times.

Following the murder, Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal approached Prayagraj police and filed an FIR.

A case under relevant sections of the IPC and Explosives Act was registered against former MP Atiq Ahmed's brother, wife Shaista Praveen and his sons and several others.