The murder of mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf, who were sent on police remand in the Umesh Pal murder case, has created a sensation in Prayagraj.
Both the named accused in the Umesh Pal murder case were being interrogated and during this time the murder was carried out.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in all districts of Uttar Pradesh to prevent any untoward incident.
Internet services remain shut in Prayagraj district as part of the security measures.
An FIR has been lodged by the Prayagraj police at the Dhumanganj police station. In this FIR, information about the death of the accused named in the Umesh Pal murder case has been given since they were brought from jail.
The details of the entire incident that took place on April 15 have been given. An FIR was registered against Head Constable Rajesh Kumar Maurya of Dhumanganj Police Station of Prayagraj Commissionerate.
Referring to the incident of April 15 in this FIR, it has been said that after not being properly interrogated on April 14, both the accused were interrogated in detail on April 15.
One pistol of 45 bore, one pistol of 32 bore, 58 live cartridges were recovered from the marks of both the accused.
It has been said in the FIR that cartridges of banned bore were found. The recovered pistol and cartridges were used in the murder of Umesh Pal and his associates.
A case under section 3/25/27/35 Arms Act was registered against the accused Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf regarding this recovery on 15th April.
On the evening of April 15, both the accused told that they were feeling very nervous. Seeing the deteriorating condition of the accused, Inspector Rajesh Kumar Maurya, Sub-Inspector Vijay Singh, Sub-Inspector Saurabh Pandey, Sub-Inspector Subhash Singh, Sub-Inspector Vivek Kumar Singh, Sub-Inspector Pradip Pandey, Sub-Inspector Vipin Yadav was bringing them for medical examination.
Sub Inspector Shiv Prasad Verma, Head Constable Vijay Shankar and Constables Sujit Yadav, Govind Kushwaha, Dinesh Kumar, Dhananjay Sharma, Rajesh Kumar, Ravindra Singh, Sanjay Kumar Prajapati, Jaymesh Kumar, Hari Mohan and Man Singh were bringing them in hospital in a Bolero vehicle at night 10:19 o’clock.
Reserve driver Mahavir Singh was driving the car. Atiq Ahmed and Arshad were sent to Motilal Nehru Mandal Hospital. A government jeep also accompanied this convoy.
At 10:35 pm, the police team reached Motilal Nehru Mandal Hospital with Atiq and Ashraf. After parking the vehicle at the gate of the hospital, all the policemen took Atiq and Ashraf towards the hospital.
Drivers Mahavir Singh and Satendra Kumar were on duty for the security of the vehicles. As soon as they were 10-15 steps ahead from the hospital gate, the crowd of media personnel reached with their cameras and mikes to take the byte and version of Atiq and Ashraf walking in the security cordon.
By breaking the security cordon, the media personnel reached close to Atiq and Ashraf.
Seeing the media personnel, both stopped to give bites. During this, the police team was asking them to move forward from behind. Meanwhile, two media personnel threw down their mic and ID from the crowd of media personnel.
Taking out weapons, started firing targeting Atiq and Ashraf. They had state-of-the-art semi-automatic weapons.
During the same incident of firing, the third media person also started firing aimed at Atiq and Ashraf.
Before anyone could understand anything, the killers disguised as media persons shot Atiq and Ashraf. Due to the fatal firing of the assailants, Constable Man Singh was hit by a bullet in his right hand.
In the midst of the firing, the policemen took immediate action and caught the three attackers with loaded weapons on the spot.
The attackers did not get the opportunity to escape. An accomplice of the attackers was injured in the cross-firing.
Atiq and Ashraf, who were seriously injured by the bullets of the attackers, were taken to the hospital for treatment. There the doctors declared both dead.
The attackers were caught with loaded weapons in their hands. When the policemen caught the three, the loaded weapons were scattered from their hands.
These were the weapons caught by media cameras at the scene. Some journalists were also injured in the stampede during the firing.
Forensic investigation has been done by the field unit after securing the spot with cello tape.
Constable Man Singh has been admitted to the hospital for treatment.
The criminals caught from the spot have been identified. One has told his name as Lavlesh Tiwari s/o Yagya Kumar Tiwari, resident of Kevatra Crossing, Thana Kotwali, Banda age 22 years.
The other has given his name as Mohit alias Sunny, S/o Late Jagat Singh, R/o Kurara, Thana Kurara, District Hamirpur, aged 23 years.
The third accused has told his name as Arun Kumar Maurya, son of Deepak Kumar, resident of Katar Bari, Police Station Soron, District Kasganj, age 18 years.
When asked about the purpose of the murder, the three accused said that they wanted to make their name known in the state by eliminating the Atiq Ahmed gang. It would definitely be beneficial in future. The killers said that “we could not anticipate the guard of the police and could not succeed in running away after killing”.
In the FIR, the killers of Atiq and Arshad have been quoted as saying that we were caught because of the swift action taken by the police. The arrested accused have said in a statement given to the police that ever since we received the information about the police custody remand of Atiq and Arshad, we were living in the crowd of local media personnel here as media persons. We were trying to kill, but could not find the right time and opportunity. Today, when we got a chance, we carried out the incident.
A large crowd gathered after the murder incident on the spot. On the information of this incident, the police force also reached in large numbers.
The incident was witnessed by other people besides media persons. Accused Lovelesh got shot in cross firing. He is undergoing treatment at Swaroop Rani Medical College.
