It has been almost a year now but the spot on the premises of Prayagraj’s Motilal Nehru Divisional Hospital in Uttar Pradesh where don-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead from a point-blank range while being taken for the medical check-up on the night of April 15 is frequented by many locals.
News18 puts spotlight on the Atiq-Ashraf death, one of the most sensational on-camera killings. The UP Police said the 2,056-page charge sheet against the three assailants, accused of killing the ‘don duo’ in full public view, has been submitted, the matter is sub judice while the accused are currently lodged in Pratapgarh Jail, waiting for the trials to begin.
April 15, 2023 was a regular day. Senior police personnel said Atiq and his brother Ashraf were taken to Motilal Nehru Divisional Hospital or Colvin Hospital for the routine medical check-up. It was at around 10:36 pm, when the duo escorted by the armed policemen were addressing the media, three shooters, posing as journalists, opened fire on Atiq and Ashraf from a point-blank range. One of the shooters removed Atiq’s turban and shot Ahmed in the head. The shooters fired 20 bullets at Atiq and Ashraf, killing them on the spot, before being overpowered by the police.
Atiq was shot on the day when his son Asad was killed in an encounter by the UP Police in Jhansi. Asad was the main accused in the Umesh Pal’s murder case.
The three shooters were identified as Lavlesh Tiwari (22), who hailed from UP’s Banda district, Mohit alias Sunny (23) from UP’s Hamirpur and Arun Maurya (18) of UP’s Kasganj district.
Atiq Ahmed, a former five-term MLA and Lok Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party, was involved in over 100 criminal cases, including murder and kidnapping, spanning a 44-year timeline. He rose to prominence amidst Uttar Pradesh’s political turmoil in the 90s and 2000s. Regarded as the head of an extortion and land-grabbing syndicate in Prayagraj and eastern UP, Ahmed’s criminal record reflects a dark undercurrent in the state’s political landscape, highlighting challenges in governance and law enforcement.
Atiq’s Political Aspirations
Atiq Ahmed’s political journey, marked by victories and controversies, reflects a complex intersection of power and criminality. Winning initially as an independent and later under SP and Apna Dal banners, he clinched the Allahabad West Constituency in 1989. Transitioning to the national stage, he secured the Phulpur seat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. However, his political ascent was marred by allegations; he was implicated as the main suspect in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, followed by accusations of kidnapping a key witness in the case, Umesh Pal, in 2006.
Despite these legal entanglements, Atiq continued his political pursuits, only to face expulsion from the Samajwadi Party in 2008 after surrendering to UP police. His subsequent electoral defeats in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls signalled a decline in his political fortunes.
Yet, his legal troubles persisted, with numerous FIRs and trials, exacerbated by witness intimidation and judicial recusals. Atiq’s alleged criminal empire, with a reported 144-member gang and assets valued at Rs 11,000 crore, underscored the challenges of confronting entrenched criminal networks within the political system.
His arrest in a 2017 assault case and subsequent transfer to Sabarmati prison in 2019 on the Supreme Court orders further highlighted the gravity of his alleged offenses. The saga of Atiq Ahmed illuminates the intricate nexus between politics, crime, and the judiciary, exposing systemic vulnerabilities and the struggle for justice in India’s democratic framework.
Atiq Wanted in Umesh Pal Murder Case
Atiq Ahmed’s entanglement in the murder case of Umesh Pal, a crucial witness in the former BSP MLA’s assassination, deepened when Pal himself was fatally shot outside his Prayagraj home on February 24, 2023. Umesh Pal’s prior police complaint against Atiq and others implicated them in the murder plot. The FIR, lodged by Pal’s wife, Jaya, accused Atiq, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, their two sons, as well as associates Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, along with nine others, of orchestrating the assassination. Allegations included a conspiracy devised by Atiq, Ashraf, and Parveen to eliminate both Umesh Pal and his security guard Sandeep Nishad, with the actual attack allegedly executed by Atiq’s sons and aides.
But Why Did They Kill Atiq and Ashraf?
“Hatya karne ke uddesh ke bare mein poochane par teeno abhyukton ne bataya ki hum log Atiq aur Ashraf gang ka safaya karke pradesh mein apne naam ki pehchan banana chahte thhey jiska labh bhavishya mein nischit roop se milta (On being asked about the reason for the killing, all three accused said we wanted to finish the gang of Atiq and Ashraf and become famous because this would benefit us in the future for sure),” the FIR stated.
Similarities between the three assailants were that they all were below 23 years of age, jobless, drug addicts, runaways and of criminal background. Here are brief details about the three assailants who killed Atiq and Ashraf:
Lavlesh Tiwari from Banda: Those who know Lavlesh’s family from the close quarters called him a drug addict, and said he was into crime since the very beginning. “While two of his brothers are priests in a local temple, the one is still studying in school. He belonged to a simple family, earlier Tiwari had gone to jail in an eve teasing case. Due to his criminal nature and his dream to earn a big name in the world of crime, his family distanced itself from Lavlesh. In a statement, Lavlesh’s mother said he was a religious person and used to visit the temples regularly but didn’t know what happened to him and how he landed in the world of crime.
Sunny from Hamirpur district: Sunny’s brother Pintu said he does not have any idea how Sunny became a criminal. The family distanced themselves from Sunny after getting to know his criminal record. He was also into drugs and other illegal activities. Sunny has three siblings out of which one brother died, the eldest brother works in a private firm while Sunny, who is the youngest of all, is named in around 17 cases. Sunny had left home 10 years ago.
Arun Maurya: The third accused in the murder of Atiq and Ashraf hails from Kasganj. Those who knew Arun said he lost his parents at an early age while two brothers are into scrap business in Delhi and Arun has a long criminal history. People said it was almost 10 years ago when Arun was last seen in the village.
The UP Police has charged the three men with murder and attempted murder, as well as under the Arms Act. At least two firearms were recovered from the site of the shooting. According to the FIR, the accused told the police they wanted to make a name for themselves and establish their identity in the state by eliminating Atiq Ahmad’s gang. The UP government had set up a three-member judicial committee to probe Atiq Ahmad’s killing. The panel headed by retired Allahabad high court judge Arvind Kumar Tripathi, included retired judge BK Soni and ex-DGP Subesh Kumar Singh.
Current Status of Atiq-Ashraf Murder Case
The district government counsel Gulab Chandra Agrahari told News18 that on July 13, 2023 the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had submitted a 2,056-page charge sheet against Lavlesh Tiwari, 22, Mohit Singh alias Shani, 23, and Arun Maurya, 18, who are lodged in the Pratapgarh district jail. Thereafter, CJM Dinesh Kumar Gautam had taken cognizance of the charge sheet and also instructed to provide the copy to the accused.
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