A team of 45 cops, foolproof security, and a whole cavalcade of cars were not enough to make gangster-cum-politician Atiq Ahmed feel secure. Atiq’s lawyer Vijay Mishra and his sister Ayesha Noori were also part of the procession to assuage the gangster’s fear that he might meet the same fate as the dreaded outlaw Vikas Dubey during his transfer from Sabarmati jail in Gujarat to Naini jail in Uttar Pradesh.
Noori expressed her lack of confidence in the ability of the Uttar Pradesh administration to protect her brother in no uncertain terms. She stated that she was scared he might be killed in an encounter and referred to a speech made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly as the source of her fear. A few days earlier, Adityanath had said that he would completely annihilate those running mafia culture in Uttar Pradesh, taking Atiq’s name and targeting the Samajwadi Party for giving membership to criminals.
Meanwhile, a 20-minute halt in Jhansi caused commotion and piqued the media’s interest.
“We do not know why the convoy was stopped. We don’t trust the administration. Let’s see what happens next. Hopefully, everything will be alright,” said Noorie.
Atiq’s lawyer Mishra clarified that the halt was necessary to give rest to the police personnel who had been driving Atiq and replace them with new staff.
“The law is above the administration. The Court has assured his safe transfer,” he added.
In other drama related to the travel, Atiq’s convoy collided with a cattle reminding everyone about Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey’s car flip and subsequent encounter in 2020 . When Atiq Ahmed’s convoy was passing through the Shivpuri district, a cow collided with the police van carrying him. The accident led to the death of the cow.
Atiq Ahmed was brought to Prayagraj by a 45-member police team. Ahmed will be produced in court in Prayagraj, where he will be sentenced for his involvement in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case. The court is scheduled to pass an order on March 28.
Gujarat police had made elaborate arrangements to bring the former Samajwadi Party MLA, who has been lodged at Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail since June 2019 following a Supreme Court order in April 2019.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ganganagar, Abhishek Bharti, led a team of 45 police personnel tasked with bringing Atiq home safely. The convoy, which covered approximately 1274.9 kilometers by road, included six vehicles, including two Vajra vehicles and three four-wheelers.
While the UP police were completing the formalities, Atiq Ahmed refused to travel with them. He requested to be sentenced via video conference, citing once again his fear for his life. He said that he fears he will be eliminated either by a staged accident or an encounter.
Ahmed, a man with a chequered past, was allegedly involved in the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, who was shot dead in 2005.
Most recently, Ahmed’s henchmen were also involved in the daylight murder of a key witness in the Raju Pal murder case, Umesh Pal. He was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24 of this year.
Earlier this month, Ahmed moved to the Supreme Court for protection. Ahmed claimed that he and his family have been falsely implicated in the Umesh Pal murder case. He also said that he fears that he may be killed in a fake encounter.
Once an all-powerful figure, Ahmed’s incarceration showcased the CM Yogi Adityanath’s commitment to a crime-free Uttar Pradesh.