Atiq Killing: CM Yogi sets up 3-member judicial commission, suspends 17 cops; sec 144 in UP

PRAYAGRAJ: The Yogi government on Saturday ordered a three-member judicial commission while suspending as many as 17 policemen, who were guarding the dreaded mafia Atiq Ahmed, minutes after he was shot dead in full public glare in an incident that has raised non-stop questions on how his security was compromised.

CM Yogi Adityanath led into a meeting at 5 Kalidas Marg in Lucknow to beef up security of all important shrines in the wake of communal tension as he also ordered the state police to enforce Section 144  — to stop congregation of more than five persons – in the state.

“CM has called for a high level meeting at his residence on security breach,” a government statement said after the tragic incident.

“Atiq had been brought for mandatory medical examination. Media personnel were taking byte. Three people came disguised as media personnel. These three fired at Atiq. They have been arrested. In the process, a police constable Man Singh has been injured,” Prayagraj Commissioner of police Ramit Sharma told The New Indian.

UP DGP RK Vishwakarma was likely to reach Prayagraj in the wee hours of Sunday.

Earlier, in the day, Atiq and his wife Shaista had skipped the funeral of their son Asad, who was killed in police encounter on Thursday in Jhansi.

Tension escalated in Prayagraj as police appealed to media persons to stay away from the site of the attack.

UP Police also stepped up security of key shrines in the state amid inputs that several outfits were planning to raise communal tension.

The police increased patrolling in sensitive areas.

UP Special DGP( Law and Order) Prashant Kumar,  confirmed that directions have been issued to all neighbouring districts to  remain on high alert.

Atiq, who is an accused in several criminal cases, including the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal and the recent murder of Umesh Pal in February this year, was brought from Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad to Prayagraj on April 13. He was sent to five-day police custody till April 17.

Asad and his associate Ghulam were killed in a shootout with the state’s Special Task Force (STF) in Jhansi district

Both Asad and Ghulam were carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh on their head since they killed Umesh in broad daylight on a busy street in Prayagraj on February 24.

The encounter was led by deputy SPs Navendu and Vimal, and foreign-made weapons were recovered from the site.

Asad was leading the attack party which gunned down Umesh, his two bodyguards and his advocate, according to CCTV footage. He has been on the run since.

Despite a statewide search, Asad had managed to evade the police for more than a month, frequently changing his locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

According to the Delhi Police, Asad stayed for 13 days in Sangam Vihar area of South Delhi. The man, who gave shelter to the notorious criminal, was detained by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell earlier this month.

During the course of their investigation, the Delhi Police found out that one of the arrested men had provided financial help to Asad and had even visited Meerut to get cash.

The UP Police had already arrested over a dozen persons and had gunned down two of the conspirators and attackers last month.

The UP Police has announced a reward of ₹25,000 for Atiq’s wife, Shaista Parveen, for her alleged involvement in the murder conspiracy of Umesh Pal.

Incidentally, Asad was killed on a day when his father Atiq and uncle Asraf were produced before a magistrate court in Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case.

Umesh was under pressure from Atiq’s men to withdraw himself from the trial of the murder of Raju Pal, who was allegedly killed by Atiq’s men after he defeated Asraf in Assembly elections.