The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf, recreated the murder scene in Prayagraj on Thursday. Amid tight security, the team tried to replay the sequence of events that led to the shooting of the gangsters as they were being taken for a medical checkup.
Atiq and Ashraf were shot dead by three men who came posing as journalists and shot them at point-blank range on the night of April 15. The three accused—Lovelesh Tiwari, Mohit and Arun Kumar Maurya—were sent to four-day police custody on Tuesday.
Five police officers including the station officer of Shahganj police station have been suspended for 'negligence'. The SIT has made several arrests in connection with the case. An alleged member of the Atiq Ahmad gang, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, has been arrested, police said. Asad Kalia, a resident of New Chakia, was arrested by the Kareli police on Wednesday. Kalia was considered the right hand of Atiq's wife Shaista Praveen, who is wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case and is absconding.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday detained three men who helped the main accused Tiwari in pretending to be a reporter. According to NDTV, the three men who work for a local news website, showed the ropes of reporting to Tiwari and helped him buy a camera.
Atiq was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader's murder.