Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 17 : Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were shot dead on April 15, targeted members from the minority community as well, as per the Uttar Pradesh police records on Monday.
Both criminals had a long criminal history with them having been implicated in various crimes such as murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, frauds, issuing threats, and land grabs. The list of their victims was long with members of minority committee at the receiving end in most cases, the records said.
"Out of 20 top criminal cases against the duo, the Ahmed brothers targeted members of the minority community in 13. Atiq's brother Ashraf was allegedly involved even in the abduction of two minor Muslim girls from a madarsa and their repeated rape at gunpoint overnight. The victims were later thrown in front of the madarsa gate the next morning," as per the police.
"A living example of Atiq's atrocity in this regard is Zeeshan alias Janu, a resident of Kasari Masari in Prayagraj and Atiq's brother-in-law Imran Zai's younger brother. Atiq had got Zeeshan's home demolished with a JCB to capture his land. In addition to this, according to Zeeshan, he was attacked by Atiq's goons and got an extortion threat to pay Rs 5 crores," they added.
Atiq Ahmed was accused of murdering Ashfaq Kunnu, a ward councilor of the Municipal Corporation.
Atiq was also accused of shooting ward councillor Nasson, who was once close to the gangster. The rift started between the two after Nasson started raising his voice against Atiq's high-handedness. In the year 2001, Naasan's body was reportedly riddled with bullets by Atiq in Chakia, the police said.
"BJP leader Ashraf was shot dead reportedly by Atiq in the year 2003. Ashraf's house was located in front of Atiq's house in Chakia. Atiq said that the names of the BJP leader and his brother were the same and the BJP leader, in this case, teased him by working for the opposition party. The most shocking thing in this was that after killing Ashraf, Atiq's henchmen ran away with his dead body," they added.
Gangster Atiq Ahmed was shot at least eight times with bullet injuries found in his head, neck and chest, preliminary results of an autopsy conducted on his body after his sensational murder that was caught on news cameras outside a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on April 15.
Sources said on Monday that three bullets pierced the body of Ashraf, the brother of Atiq during the shootout that took place late on Saturday outside the hospital where police had taken them for a routine medical check-up. Both the gangsters collapsed on the spot after they were shot at nearly point-blank range.
According to sources, the initial postmortem report detailed that Atiq was shot eight times and Ashraf five times. The duo were shot at by three miscreants posing as media persons and who were later caught by the police. "Out of the eight bullets that Atiq was shot, one bullet hit his head, one bullet hit his neck, one bullet each on his chest, stomach and waist," sources said.
Both Atiq and Ashraf were buried on April 16 at the Kasari Masari burial ground in Prayagraj.
According to the initial post-mortem report, Ashraf was shot in his neck, back and waist in which the bullets pierced his body and went past him.
Police are awaiting a detailed report of the autopsy, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the murders and directed a judicial probe. Uttar Pradesh police authorities have announced the formation of two special investigating teams (SITs) to probe the sensational killings.
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