Samajwadi Party national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, who reached Etawah on Sunday, held UP CM' Yogi Adityanath's "Mitti mein mila denge (will ground them to dust)" claim as being responsible for the killing of slain ganglord-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, claiming that his statement sent out a message that nothing will happen to those who takes out Atiq Ahmed.

"A tragic (Umesh Pal murder) incident had happened earlier in Prayagraj, after which the chief minister gave a statement that "he would turn mafias into dust". So, this was an order from the CM which sent across a clear message to the killers. Atiq filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying he feared being killed in police custody and that's how his end came."