Atiq and Ashraf killing: SIT likely to file chargesheet next week, say police

At the time of the shooting, Atiq and Ashraf were on police custody remand in connection with the killing of advocate Umesh Pal, a witness to the MLA Raju Pal murder case in 2005, and two police gunners that took place in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj on February 24.

SIT head and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Satish Chandra said, “We are giving final touches, and will file a chargesheet soon.”

According to police sources, during the investigation, police did not find the role of any other person in the twin murder.

Luvlesh is a native of Banda, while Shani and Arun are residents of Hamirpur and Kasganj, respectively. Police said that they came in contact with each other when they were lodged in jail in connection with another case.

According to police sources, three pistols recovered from the possession of the assailants were Turkey and America-made semi-automatic. Sources said during questioning, the assailants told police that they wanted to become popular by finishing the gang of Atiq and Ashraf and that it would benefit them in the long run.

Sources said that the assailants told police that they procured pistols from a Delhi-based gangster, who was killed in a shootout, but it could not be established how these expensive and sophisticated weapons reached the Delhi-based gangster and why he gave them to the assailant.

According to information, police conducted several scientific examinations, including a polygraph test on the assailants, to prepare a watertight case against them. During the investigation, several exhibits were sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination, sources said.

Two days after the murder of Atiq and Ashraf, the UP Police formed an SIT led by Satish Chandra with ACP (Prayagraj Kotwali) Satyendra Prasad Tiwari and Inspector (Investigation Cell of the Crime Branch) Om Prakash being its other members.

Besides, the UP Police also formed a separate team comprising three supervisors to monitor the SIT probe and ensure “qualitative investigation and time-bound action”. The supervising team is headed by Additional Director General (Prayagraj Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar. “We had sent several exhibits to FSL for examination. Few reports are still pending,” said Bhaskar.