Atiq murder: Sons of driver, farmer with little or no family ties; 2 of 3 accused have past cases against them

Police said they found that criminal cases had been registered in the past against two of the three arrested – 22-year-old Lavlesh Tiwari and 23-year-old Sunny Puraney. The background of the third – 18-year-old Arun Kumar Maurya – is being ascertained, police said.

A photo of three men; (L-R) Arun Maurya, Sunny Purane and Lavlesh Tiwari, who opened fire at gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf while they were being taken for a medical checkup in Prayagraj. (PTI Photo)

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The three youths, arrested for the murder of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, hail from families not so well-off and police said at least two of the assailants have a criminal track record.

The families of all three claimed that they had not been in touch for a long time. Police said they found that criminal cases had been registered in the past against two of the three arrested – 22-year-old Lavlesh Tiwari and 23-year-old Sunny Puraney. The background of the third – 18-year-old Arun Kumar Maurya – is being ascertained, police said.

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Two of the arrested youths are from Bundelkhand – Banda and Hamirpur – and the third from Kasgan. None of them were co-accused in the same case in the past.

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“The background of all three accused are being collected. We are trying to get details of Arun Kumar Maurya from other districts as well,” ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said.

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This is what police have found abound the three:

Lavlesh Tiwari

Age: 22 years

District: Banda

Number of cases: 4.

Cases are lodged at Kotwali and Baderu Police Stations of Banda. These include charges of smuggling of illicit liquor, assault and harassment of women.

He hails from Lumar village of Banda district. For several years, the family claimed, he lived in the Kavetara area of Banda in a rented accommodation. His father works as a driver.

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Sunny Puraney

Age: 23 years

District: Hamirpur

Number of cases: 13

Cases are lodged at different police stations of Hamirpur district. These include charges of attempt to murder, robbery, UP Gangster Act, UP Goonda Act as well as NDPS. He is a resident of Kurara area of Hamirpur district. His elder brother Pintu Singh told media persons that Sunny had not been in touch with the family for the last 10 years and that the family had disconnected all ties with him ever since he started getting involved in criminal activities.

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Arun Kumar Maurya

Age:18 years

District: Kasganj

He hails from Baghela Pukhta village of Kasganj in Western Uttar Pradesh. Police have not yet found any criminal case against him in the past. Like the other two, he had also been living away from his family. Family members said that during his occasional visits, he used to inform them that he was working in Noida. His father is a farmer.

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