Tailed Atiq and his brother, killed them to be famous: Police quote arrested trio

Police said that in the firing incident Saturday night, Tiwari sustained a bullet injury in his right hand and was being treated at a hospital.

On Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government, which drew flak from Opposition parties for the manner in which Atiq and his brother Ashraf were killed while being escorted by police, formed a judicial commission to investigate the incident.

A government spokesperson said a three-member judicial commission has been formed under rules of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. “The three-member commission will submit its report within two months. The report will be submitted to the state government,” the spokesperson said.

The commission will be headed by Justice Arvind Kumar Tripathi, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court. Retired district court judge Brijesh Kumar Soni and former UP DGP Subesh Kumar Singh will be the two other members.

Police said the three arrested men, during questioning, said they had been following Atiq and Ashraf from the time they learnt that police had brought them to Prayagraj.

An FIR filed by Rajesh Kumar Maurya, Station House Officer of Dhoomanganj police station, at Shahganj police station stated that the accused had been booked under IPC sections related to murder, attempt to murder, and sections of the Arms Act and Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.

The FIR stated that the three accused told police that they wanted to finish the gang of Atiq and Ashraf to become famous.

“Hatya karne ke uddesh ke bare mein poochane par teeno abhyukton ne bataya ki hum log Atiq wah Ashraf gang ka safaya karke pradesh mein apne naam ki pehchan banana chahte thhey jiska labh bhavishya mein nischit roop se milta (On being asked about the reason for the killing, all three accused said we wanted to finish the gang of Atiq and Ashraf and become famous because this would benefit us in the future for sure),” the FIR stated.

It also stated that the accused told police that they had been trying to get near Atiq and Ashraf by posing as media persons ever since they got information about the brothers, and they failed to flee the crime scene.

According to police, on Saturday evening, Atiq and Ashraf complained of uneasiness after which a team of policemen, headed by SHO Maurya, took them to Moti Lal Nehru Zonal Hospital (Colvin) for a medical check-up. Others in the team included 7 sub-inspectors and 13 constables.

Atiq and Ashraf were on a four-day police custody remand in the Umesh Pal murder case.

Police said that after seeing media persons at the hospital gates, Atiq and Ashraf began walking slowly and stopped to speak to the media when the assailants opened fire.

In the attack, constable Man Singh also sustained a bullet injury. The policemen caught the assailants and took them into custody.

Police said there were 54 cases against Ashraf, and the history-sheet of Atiq Ahmed included 8 cases of murder, including that of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj. Atiq was lodged at the Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat, while Asharaf was in the Bareilly Jail. They were brought to Prayagraj on transit remand on April 12. They were kept at Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj.

Police had recorded the statement of Atiq Ahmed on a court directive. Police claimed that Atiq, in his statement, had admitted to links with Pakistan’s ISI and terror outfit Laskar-e-Toiba. His police remand was to end at 5 pm on April 17.

On Sunday, all shops remained closed in Prayagraj, and there was heavy police deployment in Chakia where Atiq’s house is situated. The post mortem examination of Atiq and Ashraf was completed in the afternoon and the bodies were sent to Chakia for burial.