Atiq Ahmed Archives - Lokmarg

Atiq’s Aide Held With Huge Cache Of Arms, In Kaushambi

By LokMarg 6th June 2023

A large cache of illegal weapons were recovered from the house of late mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s aide, police said.

The active aide has been identified as Abdul Kavi.
“In a case registered at Sarai Akeel police station, accused Abdul Kavi was taken on police remand for 36 hours,” Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, Superintendent of Police (SP) said.

“A cache of illegal arms including 20 pistols of 12 bore and .315 bore with cartridges, a revolver and explosives have been recovered at his instance,” the SP added.

The seizure was made from the Kavi’s house in Bhakanda village under Sarai Akil Police Station area.

Further investigation is underway.

Gangsters Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead by men posing as journalists on April 15 night this year, while they were being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

All three assailants — Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari — were sent to judicial custody by the district court.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal and also in the killing of a key witness in that case, Umesh Pal, in February this year. (ANI)

‘Yogi Govt’s Real Test Lies in Not Allowing New Mafia Dons to Breed’

By LokMarg 6th May 2023

Madhup Kumar Pandey, a social worker in Prayagraj, says that though the end of Mafia duo Atiq and Ashraf was destined, the killing reflects the failure of city police. His views:

Organised criminals and gangs keep cropping up like water bubbles in Prayagraj; as also in various districts of Uttar Pradesh. However, after a certain period of lording over extortion rackets, such mafia dons meet a similar fate: either they get eliminated in police encounter or killed by their rivals. This is a cycle which I have witnessed throughout my life in this state.

But, the way Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were killed, live on camera and in full presence of police and media channels, is unprecedented in the history of Uttar Pradesh. Clearly, the killings must have been planned well in advance and the perpetrators were used as pawns. Their profile shows that they were mere puppets; the mastermind of this brazen act is still at large. This apparently shows the city police in poor light and raises questions about the real motive.

The murder mystery has also led to many conspiracy theories in the district. Some call it state handiwork in collusion with the police while many others are describing it as targeting of Muslim leaders by Yogi Adityanath government. Both such claims are laughable and politically motivated. It is well known that ever since coming to power, the Yogi administration has been aggressively handling with the mafia elements in the state; caste or religion have never been its concern. Vikas Dube and Ani Dujana are two glaring examples.

ALSO READ: ‘There Is Something Fishy About Atiq’s Killing’

As a Prayagraj citizen, I can safely tell you that local people are not unhappy about the killing. Mafia dons rule by spreading an atmosphere of fear in people; hence their elimination always brings a sigh of relief. What the media should question is how such criminals are allowed to prosper and thrive. Obviously, they cannot survive if the government of the day deals with them firmly.

Yogi administration has created an image where they are dealing firmly with mafia in the state. However, the real test of the Government will be that organized crime is not allowed to breed in the first place. That will reaffirm peoples’ faith in law and order.

There have been talks that after confiscating ₹11,000 crore worth of properties and assets of these mafias, the government is planning to return them back to the victims and persons from whom these assets were forcefully taken away. Apparently, this will be a tall order to fulfil but even if in some cases, such an example is set, it will only boost the image of Yogi Adityanath as an able and just administrator.

Eliminating criminals is the easy part. Re-establishing the rule of law, not allowing petty criminals to become organised mafia and bringing justice to the victims of organised crime are the touchstones where Yogi regime will need to prove its mettle.

As told to Rajat Rai

Atiq Murder: UP Govt Files Caveat in SC To Hear Its Side Before Giving Orders

By LokMarg 26th April 2023

Uttar Pradesh Government has moved a caveat application in Supreme Court on a petition seeking to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf amid police presence.

The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will list the plea seeking to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf amid police presence.
A Caveat application is filed by a litigant to ensure that no adverse order is passed against them without being heard.

Earlier, advocate Vishal Tiwari moved a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Supreme Court seeking to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court Justice to inquire into the 183 encounters which had occurred since 2017 as stated by Uttar Pradesh Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) and also to inquire into the murder of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf who were in police custody.

In his plea, Tiwari also sought to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into Atiq and Ashraf killings.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari mentioned before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud seeking an urgent hearing of his plea and apprised the court that the matter be listed today. CJI Chandrachud said that some matters could not be listed as five judges are not available as they are unwell.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari, in his public interest litigation, has also sought to issue direction to unearth the fake encounters by directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate, collect and record the evidence in the Kanpur Bikru Encounter case 2020 in which Vikas Dubey and his aides were killed by a police encounter. As the inquiry commission could not record the evidence in rebuttal of the police version and filed the inquiry report in the absence of that.

“The Uttar Pradesh police tried to become the Daredevils,” the petition said

The petitioner said that his public Interest Litigation is against the violation of the rule of law and oppressive police brutality being perpetrated by Uttar Pradesh.

The petitioner has apprised the court that he has approached the court in a matter pertaining to the Kanpur encounter on Vikas Dubey and said that a similar incident was repeated by Uttar Pradesh police that the encounter killing of Azad, son of Atiq Ahmad, a gangster turned politician and killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf by private assailants when they were in police custody and were taken for medical examination.

The petitioner said that such incidents are a severe threat to democracy and the rule of law, and such acts are establishments of anarchy and prima facie development of the police state.

He also mentioned that extra-judicial killings or fake police encounters have been very severely condemned under the law and such things cannot exist in a democratic society. The police cannot be allowed to become a mode of delivering final justice or to become a punishing Authority, the petitioner said.

“The power of punishment is only vested in the Judiciary. The police when becomes DARE DEVILS then the entire Rule of law collapses and generates fear in the mind of people against the police which is very dangerous for Democracy and also results in further crime,” the petitioner said.

On April 15, the gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were killed when being taken for medical examination by the Uttar Pradesh Police. They were in the UP police custody and the police had the duty of providing the highest safety to the accused, the lawyer said.

The lawyer said that however few private assailants disguised as media journalists killed and shot dead Atiq and Ashraf in front of the police personnel with no protection given by the police.

“Such is a direct attack on Indian democracy and the rule of law. Later the assailants were arrested but during the commission of the offense, there was no protection and retaliation by the police. Such imposes a question on the transparency and proves this matter as a pre-planned attack with no redressal for the accused,” Advocate Vishal Tiwari said in his petition. (ANI)

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UP: Bloodstains, Knife Found At Atiq’s Office In Prayagraj

By LokMarg 24th April 2023

Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday found bloodstains inside the partially demolished office of slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed in Prayagraj who was shot dead earlier this month.

“I have examined myself, bloodstains, the knife was found near the staircase and next to the kitchen Atiq’s office,” Satyendra Prasad Tiwari, Prayagraj Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP).

“The FSL team is about to reach, and the investigation will be done. CCTV footage will also be examined,” he added.

Further investigation is underway.

Moreover, on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a two-member judicial commission to probe the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad in an encounter in the State.

The State government on Sunday announced the formation of a two-member judicial enquiry committee to probe the encounter in Jhansi.

Asad along with his aide Ghulam in the Umesh Pal murder case was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on April 13 in Jhansi.

The committee will be headed by Retired High Court judge Rajeev Lochan Mehrotra and retired DG Vijay Kumar Gupta.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by men posing as media persons on April 15 night while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj. Both the gangsters collapsed on the spot after they were shot at nearly point-blank range.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the murder case of Umesh Pal which happened in February this year. (ANI)

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Plea Seeking Inquiry Into Atiq Killing On April 28

By LokMarg 24th April 2023

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on April 28 the plea seeking to constitute an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in police presence in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud seeking an urgent hearing of his plea and apprised the court that the matter was scheduled to be listed today.
CJI Chandrachud said that many matters could not get listed as five judges were not available as they were unwell.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari mentioned in SC that his plea sought a probe into the extra-judicial killings in Uttar Pradesh.

In his plea, Tiwari sought to constitute an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari has also moved a plea in Supreme Court seeking to constitute an independent expert committee to inquire into the 183 encounters which had occurred since 2017 as stated by the Uttar Pradesh Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) and also to inquire into the police custody murder of Atiq and Ashraf, gangster-turned-politicians.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead while they were being taken to a hospital in Prayagraj on April 15 night amid police presence.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari, in his public interest litigation, has also sought to issue direction to unearth the fake encounters by directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate, collect and record the evidence in the Kanpur Bikru Encounter case 2020 in which Vikas Dubey and his aides were killed by police in the encounter as the inquiry commission could not record the evidence in rebuttal of police version and has filed the inquiry report in absence of that.

“The DARE DEVILS which Uttar Pradesh police has tried to become,” the petition said

The petitioner said that the his public Interest Litigation is against the violation of rule of law and oppressive police brutality being perpetrated by Uttar Pradesh.

The petitioner has apprised the court that he has approached the court in a matter pertaining to the Kanpur encounter with Vikas Dubey and said that a similar incident was repeated by Uttar Pradesh police that is encounter killing of Asad son of Atiq Ahmad gangster turned politician and the killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf by private assailants when they were in police custody and were taken for medical examination.

The petitioner said that such incidents are a severe threat to the democracy and rule of law, and such acts are establishments of anarchy and prima facie development of the police state.

He also mentioned that extra-judicial killings or fake police encounters have been very badly condemned under the law and such things can not exist in a democratic society the police cannot be allowed to become a mode of delivering final justice or to become a punishing Authority.

“The power of punishment is only vested in the Judiciary. The police when becomes DARE DEVILS then the entire Rule of law collapses and generates fear in the mind of people (ANI)

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Atiq’s Killing is Not a Simple Story of Crime & Punishment; There is Something Fishy’

By LokMarg 20th April 2023

Tariq Umar, a businessman from Prayagraj, says the role and professionalism of Uttar Pradesh Police is also suspect in the killing of gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed. His views:

There is a popular saying that if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were killed live on camera from point-blank range, were dreaded gangsters who had unleashed reign of terror in Prayagraj. Every criminal, big or small, is destined to be brought to justice sooner or later. Probably, the same happened in the gangster-turned-politicians Atiq and Ashraf.

Having said that I must add that there is more to theses killings than meets the eye. It looks like a well thought out and cleverly planned conspiracy to eliminate the duo. And the role and professionalism of the police team accompanying the two convicts also creates suspicions of the killings being pre-planned. While UP Police of late is being praised for neutralising criminals, this particular incident shows them in poor light.

There was also pure negligence of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court regarding handling and protection of criminals in custody. The manner in which the convicts were being produced late in the evening, surrounded by TV News Channels, also raises doubts about the legal procedures being followed.

I have been a first-hand witness of the atrocities of Atiq Ahmed’s criminal activities. His musclemen once forcibly entered into the house of a family friend and threatened them openly to fall in line or face consequences. Another stark example of his atrocities were disclosed recently before a news channel by Sadiq, a witness of the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.

***Tariq says conspiracy theories abound over the killings***

The media has already reported how judge after judge recused themselves from hearing the cases against Atiq Ahmed. When even higher judiciary is afraid of these gangsters, one can gauge how much influence and power they wielded in their hay days. It is believed that Atiq’s reach was everywhere, from the corridors of power in Lucknow, Delhi or courts and police stations.

ALSO READ: ‘Mastermind of Atiq’s Murder Still Behind The Curtain’

But this does not mean that the criminals be denied a fair trial. Any extra-judicial killings – be that in the case of Vikas Dubey or Atiq Ahmed, will only harm India’s criminal justice system. We need to strength people’s faith in justice.

Meanwhile, the matter has become a political football, where everyone is trying score a point either by expressing ‘sorrow’ and concern for the deceased family or by praising the elimination of the crimnal duo. Some are fanning a conspiracy theory that the plot to kill the two convicts was hatched in the chief minister’s office and Yogi Adityanath is the real ‘mastermind’ of this action.

As far as the citizens of Allahabad (now Prayagraj) are concerned, we feel the city has one criminal gang less now. This historic city has seen many criminals rise, prosper but ultimately razed to the ground. Such has been the fate destined by all of them by the Almighty.

Initially, most of us were more bothered by the suspension of Internet facilities in the city than the killing of Atiq and his brother. For internet impacted our daily life more. Thankfully, the region has by and large been peaceful and its lovely people are moving ahead with their routine life in the same pace.

As told to Rajat Rai

Atiq Case: Lovelesh’s Friends Detained In UP’s Banda

By LokMarg 20th April 2023

Three friends of Lovelesh Tiwari, the main accused in the sensational killing of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed, were detained by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda, the police said on Thursday.

“The trio were caught at Banda railway station,” officials said.
The SIT team has also reached Hamirpur and Kasganj to conduct the further probe, they added.

Uttar Pradesh Police conducted raids in search of Shaista Parveen, wife of Atiq Ahmed, in Kaushambi on Wednesday.

“Raids were conducted in search of Shaista Parveen, wife of gangster Atiq Ahmed. A search operation was conducted after receiving information about some criminals hiding. The operation lasted for about 2 hours. A drone camera was also used in the operation. However, the operation did not prove successful today,” Samar Bahadur, ASP, Kaushambi told ANI.

Days after Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, the mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on April 5 night while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader’s murder, in February this year.

As many as three people were arrested and identified as Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari.

All three attackers were apprehended at the scene after they voluntarily turned themselves in. They have been kept in the custody of the police and questioned.

A CJM court in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Wednesday remanded gangster Atiq Ahmed’s killers to four-day police custody.

This comes after the Special Investigation Team filed an application in the court seeking remand for questioning for all three accused.

They were earlier sent to 14-day judicial custody by the district court on April 16.

During the police remand, the police will question the accused about the weapon they used to kill Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf on April 15 night, where did they get the weapon from and who gave it to them. (ANI)

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Police Raids Underway To Nab Atiq’s Wife Shaista Parveen

By LokMarg 19th April 2023

Uttar Pradesh Police conducted raids in search of Shaista Parveen, wife of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, in Kaushambi on Wednesday.

Days after Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, the mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader’s murder, in February this year.

As many as three people were arrested, informed the police at a hurried press briefing on Saturday night after ganglord-turned-politician and his brother was shot dead in the full media glare.

All three attackers were apprehended at the scene after they voluntarily turned themselves in. They have been kept in the custody of the police and questioned.

A CJM court in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Wednesday remanded gangster Atiq Ahmed’s killers to four-day police custody.

This comes after the Special Investigation Team filed an application in the court seeking remand for questioning for all three accused.

They were earlier sent to 14-day judicial custody by the district court on April 16.

During the police remand, the police will question the accused, who were identified as Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari, about the weapon they used to kill Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf on April 15 night, where did they get the weapon from and who gave it to them. (ANI)

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Tejashwi Calls Slain Gangster ‘Atiqji’, Draws Union Minister’s Ire

By LokMarg 17th April 2023

Union Power Minister R K Singh on Monday slammed Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav for addressing the slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed as “Atiq Ji” and said that the RJD leader is shedding tears for a dreaded ganglord who was facing over 100 criminal charges.

While speaking to ANI, Union Minister Singh said that Tejashwi Yadav is Deputy Chief Minister but he addressed Atiq Ahmed as “Atiq ji” who had more than 100 cases of murder, kidnapping, and extortion against him.
Referring to the ex-MP, the Union Minister said, “Whoever was a witness, he used to kill or kidnap his family so that he won’t testify against him. He was involved in Umesh Pal’s killing. For whom are these people [Tejashwi Yadav] crying? A man who has more than 100 criminal cases against him? He confessed he had a connection with the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar e Taiba (LeT).”

Earlier in the day, Yadav termed the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, “scripted”.

“I have no sympathies for crime or criminals. But there is a law and a Constitution to eliminate crime in the country. We have seen in this country that the killers of the former Prime Minister have undergone trials and were punished. Whatever happened in UP, Toh Aap Dekhein Ye Atiq Ji ka Janaza Nahin, Kanoon Ka Janaza Nikla Tha (It was not the funeral of Atiq ji, but the funeral of the law),” Yadav had said.

Union Minister Singh further said that people have made Yogi Adityanath as chief minister with a huge mandate. “Now a dreaded criminal, who is related to ISI and LeT, that dreaded criminal has been killed in a gang war and they are shedding tears for him because they think that by doing this, their minority votebank will become stronger,” he added.

He also lashed out at the opposition leaders for rallying in support of the gangster and said, “You people (opposition leaders) are going to be extinct.

“It is absolutely a vote bank politics. It is a bit tragic that a criminal who has a connection with LeT is killed in a gang war and people are shedding tears over the incident,” he said, adding that those who sprayed bullets upon him were also caught.

On Sunday the three shooters– Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari– involved in the killings have been sent to 14-day judicial custody by the district court.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the case of murder of Umesh Pal which happened in February this year. (ANI)

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Atiq Ahmed Killers Shifted To High Security Cell In Naini Jail

By LokMarg 17th April 2023

Three shooters who gunned down Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed on the night of April 15, have been shifted from the barracks to the high-security cell of Naini (Prayagraj) Central Jail on Monday.

“All three shooters, Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari, are under threat of attack behind bars, owing to which they have been shifted to a high-security cell,” official sources said.
“The slain gangster Atiq Ahmed allegedly had a good network in the jail, and this prompted authorities to shift the trio to a high-security cell rather as they believed that keeping them with other prisoners could have been risky,” sources pointed out.

Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were shot dead by men posing as press persons on Saturday night while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj. Both the gangsters collapsed on the spot after they were shot at nearly point-blank range.

The three shooters, Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari were sent to 14-day judicial custody by the district court on Sunday.

On Sunday, the last rites of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf took place at a family graveyard in Kasari Masari area of Prayagraj.

Minor sons of gangster Atiq Ahmed were brought to the burial ground from a juvenile home.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the Umesh Pal murder case which happened in February this year. (ANI)

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