New Delhi: Days after gangster-politician and former MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were killed while in Uttar Pradesh police’s custody and protection, five cops were suspended on Wednesday, April 19, for laxity and failure to take adequate precautions.
This is the only action taken yet against Uttar Pradesh police that the public is in the know of. Hindustan Times has quoted an unnamed source as having said that Dhoomanganj assistant commissioner of police Narsingh Narayan was transferred on the night of Tuesday, April 18.
Those who were suspended were Shahganj station house officer Ashwani Kumar Singh, Neewa police outpost in-charge Preet Pandey, sub-inspector Shiv Prasad Maurya and constables Jaymesh Kumar and Sanjay Prajapati of Dhoomanganj police station, the senior officer told HT.
Atiq and Ashraf were being taken for their second medical check-up in as many days in Prayagraj when they were shot dead by three young men, Lavlesh Tiwari (22) of Banda, Mohit aka Shani (23) of Hamirpur and Arun Kumar Maurya (18) of Kasganj district.
The murders, the police’s inability to act during before or during them and the circumstances under which they took place have led to serious questions on police complicity and laxity.
Two days before Atiq’s murder, his teenaged son was killed in an ‘encounter,’ along with an aide, by Uttar Pradesh Police.
Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen is now reportedly on top of the Uttar Pradesh police’s “most wanted” list. She is on the run and police have promised a reward of Rs 50,000 to people who provide information that can lead to her capture.
Police now reportedly consider Shaista as having been involved in the murder of Umesh Pal in February. This is the same crime for which Atiq was brought from the Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh by police.
Two parallel investigations were announced by the Adityanath government in the aftermath of the murder. A three member special investigation team is headed by additional deputy commissioner of police (crime) Satish Chandra and has assistant commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Satendra Prasad Tiwari and inspector Om Prakash of crime branch (Investigation Cell) of Prayagraj police.
The other probe is headed by a retired Allahabad high court judge.