Atiq Ahmad killing: 3 shooters shifted to Pratapgarh district jail from Prayagraj

The three killers - Sunny Singh, Lavlesh Tiwari, and Arun Maurya - who shot gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shifted from the Prayagraj Central Jail to the Pratapgarh District Jail on Monday. The transfer was done on administrative grounds, a senior official told the news agency PTI.

The assailants were arrested soon after the shootout outside the Prayagraj hospital where policemen were escorting Atiq and Ashraf for a medical check-up Saturday night. This afternoon, the three killers were taken from Prayagraj and reached Pratapgarh at 2.10 pm. One of the sons of Atiq is currently lodged in the Prayagraj Central Jail.

The trio was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a district court on Sunday. They were shifted to Pratapgarh jail for security reasons, according to India Today. The report said police had got intel that all three shooters were under threat of attack behind bars in high-security Naini jail. Hence, they were shifted to neighbouring district of Pratapgarh.

All three will be kept separately from other prisoners and their special monitoring will be done by jail officials. The shooters, who posed as journalists to kill Atiq and his brother, have confessed that they wanted to eliminate gangster-politician Atiq to become famous in the world of crime.

Today, the police informed that a total of 102 cases were registered against Atiq Ahmad while 54 cases were filed against his brother Ashraf Ahmad.

The Uttar Pradesh Police has formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killing of Atiq and Ashraf. Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said the SIT was formed on the instructions of Prayagraj Commissioner of Police Ramit Sharma.

"In the investigation of the case pertaining to the murder of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf on April 15 (Saturday) in police custody... the investigation is being carried out by the SHO of Shahganj police station," a statement issued by Sharma said.

"In order to ensure (recording) statements/evidence of witnesses, compiling of records/electronic evidence, scientific/forensic evidence, the examination carried out in the forensic science laboratory and to ensure impartial and qualitative investigation, this investigation will be carried out by a Special Investigation Team (SIT)," it added.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Satish Chandra will be the SIT's chief investigator. Besides him, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali police station) Satyendra Prasad Tiwari and Inspector, Investigation Cell of Crime Branch, Om Prakash are the other two members of the SIT.

(With input from PTI)