A month has passed since the broad daylight killing of Umesh Pal and his two gunners outside his house in Dhoomanganj area in Prayagraj by 13 professional shooters, but the Uttar Pradesh Police is yet to trace the “notorious five”, including mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad.
Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in the 2005 murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, was brutally murdered by the professional shooters after he returned home from the court on February 24.
In the last one month, the police have carried out more than 100 search operations in around 13 states and 15 districts, held more than 15 suspects, carried out two encounters, razed houses of five close associates of Atiq Ahmad and arrested them, doubled the cash rewards for identifying shooters, and, most recently, raided Atiq’s house from where the police recovered 9 pistols and Rs 74 lakh cash.
But the police failed to trace the “notorious five”, Atiq’s wife and other accused who were named in the FIR.
The “notorious five” shooters — Sabir, Guddu Muslim, Armaan, Ghulam and Asad – are still at large. The UP Police has also roped in its elite agency Special Task Force (STF) to trace the shooters. A senior police official said the entire state machinery has been searching for Asad and four others shooters — including crude bomb expert and Atiq’s close aide Guddu Muslim.
Officials confirmed that besides doubling the cash reward to Rs 5 lakh each shooter, raids were carried out in around 100 hideouts in the districts including Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kaushambhi and Gorakhpur.
Also, the police have gunned down two accused – Arbaaz, who drove the car for the shooter, and Vijay Chaudhary alias Usman, who fired the first shot at Umesh Pal. Besides, Atiq Ahmad’s two minor sons — Ahzam and Abaan — have been sent to juvenile home. Sadaqat Khan, the illegal inmate of Muslim Boarding House, was also arrested for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy.
The gruelling hunt for the Umesh Pal’s killers has also reminded the UP Police and the state about another shooter and associate of Atiq Ahmad — Abdul Kauwi — who has been absconding for the last 18 years.
Kauwi is wanted for allegedly killing BSP MLA Raju Pal in January 2005. A Kaushambi-resident, Kauwi carries a bounty of Rs 50,000. His posters were also released all over the district. Recently, his brother Abdul Qadir was arrested from Kaushambi for giving him shelter.
Similarly, there is a Rs 25,000 cash reward to trace Atiq Ahmad’s wife Shaista Parveen who was allegedly part of the larger conspiracy to eliminate Umesh Pal. She was also named in the FIR at Prayagraj’s Dhumanganj police station along with her jailed husband Atiq Ahmad, his brother Khalid Azeem (alias Ashraf), son Asad and the shooters — Guddu, Sabir, Mohd Gulam and Armaan.
The police have detained several people for their alleged association with the shooters. The names of the detainees are Mubasshir Harun, Sadaqat’s associate and inmate of Muslim Boarding; Mohd Nafis, the owner of a popular eatery who has allegedly provided his vehicle to the shooters; Rahil Hasan, brother of shooter Mohd Gulam; and former city president of BJP minority cell in Prayagraj, and Atiq Ahmad’s trusted aide Balli Pandit aka Sudhanshu Tiwari. It is alleged that Shaista Parveen visited Balli Pandit’s house on February 19 with shooter Sabir and a few others.
In addition, the Prayagraj administration has demolished the houses of five associates of Atiq Ahmad, including that of Zafar Ahmad Khan, a mediaperson from Banda; Safdar Ali, alleged supplier of arms and ammunition to Atiq and his aides; Mohd Mashuk Pradhan, the alleged financier of Atiq Ahmad; and Abdul Kauwi, the MP’s absconding henchman.
Umesh Pal’s killing was the most debatable issue in the state assembly where opposition parties including SP chief and leader of opposition Akhilesh Yadav attacked the government over shootout. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tried to corner the SP, and said, “It was the SP that nurtured and protected the mafia such as Atiq Ahmad and now they are raising fingers at us. ‘Mafia ko mitti mein mila dunga’ (will finish the mafias). The Prayagraj incident is very sad, the guilty will not be spared”.
The CM had also said his government has “zero tolerance policy” towards mafia and crime and the same will be maintained in the Prayagraj case too.
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