Atiq Ahmed, a dreaded gangster reduced to dust in seconds at Prayagraj
New Delhi, April 17
Once a dreaded gangster Atiq Ahmed whose name left many businessmen, traders and even politicians sweat, was reduced to dust in a few minutes during an audacious shootout by three men who disguised as journalists and attacked Atiq and his brother Ashraf.
The first bullet was shot right in the head of Atiq Ahmed by the shooter from close proximity followed by series of bullets leaving Atiq dead and later his brother, Ashraf.
The killing of gangster Atiq Ahmed on camera where numerous people watched has shocked many for the audacious attack on a criminal in presence of police protection and media. This is the first shootout in the country where gangster was killed in such an audacious manner in presence of police and live on camera.
While he was surrounded by at least seven to eight policemen and being taken for a medical check up, the accused managed to shoot at him. The police overpowered them and thr trio were immediately arrested.
Atiq Ahmed the gangster turned politician enjoyed a clout of at least four decades in Uttar Pradesh especially East UP. The growing clout of Atiq and his brother Ashraf had been a matter of concern for Uttar Pradesh Police for many years.
Atiq had a long stint both in politics and crime He was first accused in a murder case in 1979. In the next 10 years, he emerged as a person who had strong influence in the western part of Allahabad city.
He won his first election as an independent candidate and became a state lawmaker in 1989. He went on to win the seat for two consecutive terms and his fourth win came as a lawmaker from the regional Samajwadi party (SP).
In 2004, he won a seat in the federal election as an SP candidate and became an MP. Meanwhile, cases continued to be filed against him in Allahabad and other parts of the state.
Ahmed contested a few more elections in the next decade but lost all of them. In 2019, India's top court ordered that he should be moved to a jail in Gujarat state after it emerged that he planned attacks on a businessman from a prison in Uttar Pradesh where he was being held awaiting trial in another case.
He was brought back to Prayagraj in March from Gujarat to appear in a local court as it announced his sentencing in a kidnapping case.
While exiting the Sabarmati Central Jail, Atiq had expressed that the he is being taken out of jail for an "encounter".
Few days ago while speaking to media, he had said, "Sab mitti mein mil gaya" Indicating the words of UP CM Yogi Adityanath on "mitti mein mila denge" after the brutal broad daylight murder of Umesh Pal, an advocate and the only witness in 2005 BSP leader Raju Pal's murder. Atiq's teenage son, Asad was found on CCTV camera pulling a trigger on Umesh Pal as he stepped out of his car and in the series of that non stop firing, Atiq's son and aides also killed two policemen in security of Umesh Pal.
Ahmed was also brought to Prayagraj to be questioned in other cases. His brother Ashraf, who was in a jail in Bareilly district, was also brought to the city to be questioned.
Raju Pal had defeated Ashraf in the 2004 assembly elections in Atiq Ahmed's political stronghold.
On April 14, the UP Special Task Force had killed Asad Ahmed in an encounter along with an aide at Jhansi.
Atiq had 100 named FIRs against him and was facing 54 trials, where little progress was made as witnesses kept turning hostile, UP minister Rajeshwar Singh said. Ahmed's gang had 144 members as per the police gang chart, and 10 High Court judges had recused themselves from hearing his cases, he said, adding that Atiq had assets worth Rs 11,000 crore.
Atiq's rise in crime and politics in UP mirrored that of Mukhtar Ansari, another east UP politician and dreaded mafia don, who first won an MLA election on a BSP ticket in 1996 before switching parties for multiple MLA terms.
Atiq's killing has not only shook the mafia and gangsters but on one side while it restored the faith of citizens, the other it has allegedly violated the law.
The UP Government has also submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs giving out details of the shootout after the MHA sought the same.
UP CM has formed a three member judicial panel to prove the case. UP CM Yogi Adityanath also ordered a probe and advised UP DGP RK Vishwakarma to get to remain on alert and increase deployment.
