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."