Atiq’s world in Prayagraj: Crime, politics and a heap of rubble

File Photo of Raju Pal

Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, son Asad, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others. Atiq had been lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat since 2019 in a kidnapping case.

Days before Asad was shot dead, the Prayagraj Police had gunned down two of Atiq’s aides in alleged encounters and arrested six people. They also declared rewards for information on Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen and the five who allegedly shot at Umesh Pal. Atiq’s two minor children are in a protection home in Prayagraj.

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) also demolished four houses belonging to associates of Atiq Ahmed, including a house where Shaista had been staying with her children after their house was demolished by the PDA over two years ago.

Samajwadi Party MLA Puja Pal, wife of Raju Pal

As part of its crackdown on the mafia, the Yogi Adityanath government has over the last six years arrested several of Atiq’s gang members and claimed to have seized or demolished his properties and that of his associates worth around Rs 800 crore.

Yet, it was Umesh Pal’s murder and that of Raju Pal in 2005 that shook Atiq’s hold over Prayagraj.

As per the police, the prime motive behind Raju Pal’s murder was the Assembly bypoll of 2005 in which he had defeated Atiq’s younger brother Ashraf, who was contesting on an SP ticket from Allahabad West seat.

History sheeter No. 39A

In Prayagraj and Kasari Machari, Atiq’s ancestral village on the outskirts of the city, there is little sympathy for the man.

“Atiq is known for framing his opponents in false cases and forcing them to give statements in his favour. From bribing witnesses to threatening them, Atiq is ruthless and has always escaped the law. So we were all surprised when a court recently convicted Atiq,” says Abu Bakar, Atiq’s neighbour in the Chakia locality of Prayagraj.

In the records of the Khuldabad police station in the city, Atiq was history-sheeter No. 39A, with around 100 cases against him, including of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and extortion, among others. The records also state that Atiq ran a gang with 144 members in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmad’s demolished office in Prayagraj. Express photo by Vishal Srivastav

Atiq’s journey – from Kasari Masari village to the world of crime and politics – began from a lower middle class family. “His father Haji Firoz Ahmad used to ride a tonga in Prayagraj. While Atiq went to school in his ancestral Kasari Masari village, the family later moved to Chakia in the city. Atiq dropped out of school before he could complete his Class 10,” says Nafees Ahmed, 70, a resident of Kasari Masari village.

It was in Chakia that Atiq had his first brush with crime, says Saifullah, another of Atiq’s neighbours. “Atiq did not like riding the tonga so he hung out with the wrong set of people. Soon, he had formed his own gang, mostly village louts,” he says, adding that most of his initial gang members were members of his own OBC Gaddi community.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad (L) and his aide Ghulam (R). (PTI)

The first murder case against Atiq was lodged at Khuldabad police station in Prayagraj in 1979. He later got involved in other crimes, including extortion and land grabbing, said retired IPS officer Lalji Shukla.

Police say that in Atiq’s early years of crime, he worked with several gang leaders, among them Chand Baba, one of the most dreaded gangsters in Prayagraj who had a string of murder and extortion cases against him. A few years later, however, Atiq parted ways with Chand Baba. “He landed a government contract for selling railway scrap. That turned around his fortunes and helped him establish contacts with police and leading politicians. Around this time, Atiq’s name cropped up in several murders,” said a retired police officer.

Atiq Ahmad’s relatives and associates outside demolished residence in Prayagraj. Express photo by Vishal Srivastav

Over the years, the family’s small house at Chakia grew into a sprawling two-storey structure spread across two bighas. Atiq, his younger brother Ashraf and their families shared this house with their five Great Danes.

In 2020, however, the Prayagraj district administration demolished the house, after issuing Atiq a notice for allegedly not complying with rules. The spot is now a heap of concrete and twisted metal.

By the 1980s, Atiq had decided to try his luck in politics. In 1989, Atiq contested his first election – as an Independent candidate from Allahabad West. His former mentor, Chand Baba, too threw his hat into the ring and contested against Atiq. “This annoyed Atiq and Chand Baba was murdered during the election campaign. A case was filed against Atiq Ahmed in the murder case,” says a police official.

Atiq went on to win that election from Allahabad West, a seat he retained in the next two Assembly elections — 1991 and 1993 – as an Independent candidate before the SP in 1996 opened its doors to him. That year, Atiq won on an SP ticket from Allahabad West for the fourth time. Three years later, Ahmed moved to the Apna Dal, and in 2002, again won the seat. By 2004, he was back in the SP and this time, won from Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency. The last election he contested, and lost, was in 2019 — as an Independent candidate from Varanasi against Narendra Modi.

Atiq Ahmad’s dogs under the care of the administration in Prayagraj. Express photo by Vishal Srivastav

Atiq first caught national attention on June 2, 1995, during the Lucknow guesthouse case. MLAs and workers of the SP had surrounded the guesthouse where BSP chief and then chief minister Mayawati was staying and gone on a rampage, angry that her party had broken ties with the SP and joined hands with the BJP to form the government.

In his role as a politician, Atiq spent most of his time at his 8,000-square-ft office at the Chakia crossing, around two km from his house. Recently, the district administration demolished the front portion of the office, claiming it was built illegally. After the Umesh Pal murder, the rest of the office building was demolished with police claiming to have recovered illegal weapons and money from the space.

The beginning of a slide

In January 2005, around three months after BSP’s Raju Pal won the Assembly election, he was on his way home when his car was waylaid and he and two of his associates were shot dead. Three others were injured in the attack.

According to the police, the prime motive behind Raju Pal’s murder was the Assembly bypoll of 2005 in which he had defeated Atiq’s brother Ashraf, who was contesting on an SP ticket from Allahabad West seat. The seat had fallen vacant after Atiq won the Lok Sabha seat from Allahabad in the 2004 general elections.

Raju’s wife Pooja Pal, now the SP MLA from Chail seat in Kaushambi, lodged an FIR against Atiq, Ashraf and seven unidentified people at Dhoomanganj police station.

Jaya Pal wife of Umesh Pal.

In 2006, Pooja moved court – first the Allahabad High Court and later the Supreme Court – seeking a CBI investigation into the case. In August 2019, three years after the CBI took over the case, the agency filed a chargesheet against 10 persons, including Atiq and Ahsraf.

At her home that’s around five km from Atiq’s, Pooja, now an SP MLA from Chail in Kaushambi, says, “Almost 17 years have passed since Atiq Ahmed killed my husband but I am yet to get justice. Atiq Ahmed did everything to demoralise me and the witnesses. He also got my cousin Umesh Pal killed. He will have to pay for his sins.” Raju and Pooja had only been married nine days before he was killed.

Umesh Pal murder case

On February 24, Raju Pal’s cousin Umesh Pal was murdered along with his two gunners outside his Dhoomanganj residence.

Umesh’s family accused Atiq of carrying out the killing, saying he was targeted because he was a witness in the 2005 murder of Raju Pal.

In 2007, Atiq allegedly kidnapped Umesh to pressurise him to change his statement in favour of Atiq Ahmed in court – a case in which he was convicted on March 28. This is Atiq’s first conviction in a career of crime that has spanned over three decades.

At a three-storeyed house in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj, in a room that serves as an office space, Jaya Pal sits next to a toweled, swiveling chair on which her husband Umesh Pal’s photograph is placed. Outside, a huge police force stands guard.

“My fight is with Atiq Ahmed… He can do anything. He got my husband killed while sitting inside a jail that’s over 1,200 km from here,”she says.

She pauses to greet visitors and appeals to them to support her in her fight against a man “whose name is enough to terrorise anyone in in Prayagraj”. “I know these policemen will go back one day, but I’ll have to fight on for the sake of my four minor children,” says Jaya, 40, an eye witness in the murder case.