Atiq Ahmed Shot dead: UP CM Yogi Adityanath chairs key meet; Prayagraj on high alert

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a 40-minute high-level key meeting at his residence on April 17 with the Director General of Police and other senior state authorities to review the law and order situation as Prayagraj remains on high alert. As part of security measures, the curb on internet services has also been extended by two days in a bid to prevent rumours.

The high-level meeting comes after gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were gunned down by three assailants posing as journalists on Saturday night while they were being taken to a hospital for a medical check-up. The bodies of Atiq and his brother were buried in their ancestral village's Kasari Masari graveyard in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday amid beefed-up security arrangements. 

According to sources, the body was handed over to their relatives after the process of postmortem was completed. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf's postmortem report will be officially released today by the senior officials. Notably, Atiq Ahmed's wife, Shaista Praveen, who is absconding in the Umesh Pal murder case, wasn't seen in her husband's last rites. Uttar Pradesh Police has also announced a Rs 25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Shaista Parveen. 

Atiq's shooters sent to 14-day judicial custody

According to the UP Police officials, the three shooters who posed as a journalist and shot dead Atiq and his brother Ashraf, have been identified as Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lavlesh Tiwari. They were produced before a Prayagraj court on Sunday, following which they were sent to 14-day judicial custody. 

According to an official statement released by UP cops, Lavlesh and Sunny have criminal records- Sunny has 14 cases lodged against him and Lavlesh is a history sheeter. After their arrest, UP Police also recovered two Turkey-made pistols and one country-made pistol. 

Two SITs constituted to investigate case

Two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have been constituted to investigate the killings of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj. A three-member SIT, headed by ADG Prayagraj zone Bhanu Bhaskar, including CP Prayagraj and Director FSL has been formed by DGP RK Vishwakarma. The second SIT consisting of 3 members has been formed by Prayagraj Police in the murder case registered at Shahganj police station.

To dig deeper into the case, a three-member judicial commission has also been constituted by the Home Department under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952. Formal orders for setting up of three-member judicial commission have already been released. Retired Justice, of Allahabad High Court, Arvind Kumar Tripathi will lead the team, with Subesh Kumar Singh, Retired DGP Uttar Pradesh and Brijesh Kumar Soni, Retired District Judge UP, as its members.