A day after a key witness in the 2005 case of the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath faced off with Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav in the UP Assembly Saturday. Adityanath accused the SP of sheltering “criminals” and “mafia” like jailed former MP Atiq Ahmed, an accused in the 2005 case, and said he would destroy the mafia (“iss mafia ko mitti me mila denge”).

Lawyer Umesh Pal, the witness in the case, was shot dead and two policemen were critically injured Friday when unidentified men fired and hurled crude bombs at them in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj. Lodged in a Gujarat jail, Atiq Ahmed, according to police, is also an accused in the 2006 kidnapping of Umesh Pal.

As the House assembled Saturday morning for a discussion on the Governor’s address, the SP raised the Prayagraj incident to question the law and order situation in the state.

The Chief Minister said it was an unfortunate incident and the government had taken cognizance of it. He said the results of actions taken by the government under its policy of “zero-tolerance” for crime will be before government under its policy of “zero-tolerance” for crime will be before 

He then turned towards Akhilesh Yadav and the SP members: “Who sheltered the mafia and criminals? You first shelter criminals and garland them. And later, you stage a drama and level allegations at others.”

“Iss House mein keh raha hoon. Iss mafia ko mitti me mila denge… Jitney mafia hain unko mitti me milane ka kaam karenge (I am saying this in the House. This mafia will be destroyed, all mafia will be destroyed),” he said, referring to Ahmed.