Lucknow: The Prayagraj police raided the residence of gangster-turned-politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Atiq Ahmed in Mahanagar area of Lucknow and seized two luxury cars from Universal Apartments. According to police sources, the raid was carried out on February 27 and a late-night action followed by a shootout, in which advocate Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in Prayagraj, was shot dead on February 24.
Atiq Ahmed, along with his son Asad Ahmed and wife and BSP leader Shaista Parveen were named in the FIR in connection with the murder. Police had received information that some shooters had taken shelter in that apartment, after which the police raided. However, police sources said on Wednesday that they had left before the raid.
The police, however, seized two luxury cars and took them to the Mahanagar police station. A source said, “STF and Prayagraj police raided Universal Apartment flat number 202 and seized two luxury vehicles that were brought to Mahanagar police station. These vehicles are registered in the names of family members of Atiq Ahmed.”
A guard of the building said that the CCTV has been out of order for almost two years. “They left the flat on February 24 evening. There were 3 to 4 people there. They (shooters) did not appear after that. Police took away the cars the day before yesterday. STF and metropolitan police station personnel were here. No one was found ” flat,” said a guard in the building. Earlier, in a major development in the Umesh Pal murder case, an accused was shot dead in an encounter near Nehru Park area in Prayagraj’s Dhoomanganj on Monday, a top police official said The accused has been identified as Arbaaz, who was driving the car used in the murder of Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in several cases including the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.
Police said that Arbaaz was injured and died in the hospital. ADG law and order Prashant Kumar said on Monday, “But the bullet was fired.
He said, “Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and police have launched a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters and mafia. Action is also being taken against those who give shelter to such people.”
Umesh Pal and one of his two armed security escorts were shot dead on February 24 in Sulem Sarai area of Prayagraj. Several rounds were fired and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunmen. The incident happened days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attacked the Samajwadi Party in the assembly on February 25, saying that his government would destroy the mafia.
Describing the Prayagraj incident as tragic, CM Yogi said, ‘The government has taken cognizance of it and very soon the results of our policy of zero tolerance towards crime will be seen by all. No one should have any doubt in this.
“Is it not true that the accused against whom an FIR has been lodged has been made an MP by the Samajwadi Party? You all groom criminals, garland them and then blame others when the crime is committed. By doing this you are just creating your tamasha,” the CM said in an attack on the SP members.
Meanwhile, SP MLA Pooja Pal (wife of Lt BSP MLA Raju Pal) met CM Adityanath on Tuesday demanding Y+ security for herself and her family.