Prayagraj murder: Police look into role of ex-MP Atiq’s son

He is the third eldest son of Atiq. The former MP has five sons, according to police sources. The two eldest – Mohammad Umar and Ali – are in jail, and the other two are minors.

“Raids are being conducted to trace Atiq’s son, who has turned out to be the prime suspect in Friday’s murder, along with Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, who have been named in the FIR,” a senior police officer said.

“We have very little information about Atiq’s son, who is pursuing a law course in Lucknow. We are collecting information about him from different sources,” the senior officer added.

It is to be noted that following the daylight murder of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj on Friday, his wife Jaya Pal had got an FIR registered against jailed former MP Atiq Ahmed, his wife Shaista Parveen, their son, his younger brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf and others. While Atiq is currently in a jail in Gujarat, Ashraf is lodged in Bareilly Central Jail.

Mohammad Umar (24), the eldest of the five sons of Atiq, is lodged in Lucknow district jail. He had surrendered before a court in Lucknow in October last year in connection with a case abduction of a businessman in 2018. Police had announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh on Umar’s arrested.

Atiq’s second son, Ali (22), had surrendered in July last year. He was wanted in a case of assault on a property dealer in December 2021 in the Kareli area of Prayagraj. Ali, who is currently in Naini Central Jail, carried a reward of Rs 50,000.

Police sources said that the investigators are verifying some of the people seen in CCTV footage the Friday’s incident when Umesh Pal and his gunners were killed as a group of assailants opened fire and hurled bombs in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj.