The Rise and Fall of Atiq Ahmed

Atiq Ahmed was a notorious gangster-turned-politician who ruled the underworld of Uttar Pradesh for decades. He was involved in several cases of murder, kidnapping, extortion and corruption, and had a strong political clout that helped him evade justice. He was also a former MP and MLA from various parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Apna Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party.

However, his reign of terror came to an abrupt end on April 15, 2023, when he and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead by unidentified assailants while being taken for a medical check-up in Prayagraj. The incident took place near a medical college in Prayagraj, where Atiq was serving life imprisonment in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case. According to sources, Atiq Ahmed suffered fatal head injuries from approximately 10 rounds of gunfire, leading sources to speculate that the shooters were well-trained and likely snipers.

The killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother came just two days after his son Asad and his accomplice Ghulam, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi. Asad and Ghulam were carrying a Rs 5 lakh bounty on their heads, and foreign-made firearms were confiscated from them. The police claimed that they had received a tip-off about their whereabouts and that they had fired at the police when they tried to arrest them.

The death of Atiq Ahmed and his family members marked the end of an era of crime and politics in Uttar Pradesh. Atiq Ahmed had started his criminal career in the 1980s as a student leader in Allahabad University, where he was known for his violent tactics and muscle power. He soon became a feared name in the city and expanded his network across the state. He was accused of killing BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, who had defeated him in the assembly elections. He was also accused of kidnapping and assaulting a businessman from Lucknow in 2018, who had filed a complaint against him in the Supreme Court.

Atiq Ahmed had also tried his luck in politics and had won several elections from different constituencies and parties. He was elected as an MP from Phulpur in 2004 on an Apna Dal ticket, and as an MLA from Allahabad West in 2012 on a Samajwadi Party ticket. He had also contested from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 as an independent candidate, but lost by a huge margin. He had also joined the BSP in 2019, but was expelled later for anti-party activities.

Atiq Ahmed had faced several cases and arrests throughout his life, but had always managed to get bail or escape from custody. He had also allegedly used his political influence to intimidate witnesses and influence judges. However, his luck ran out after the Yogi Adityanath government came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, which launched a crackdown on criminals and gangsters. Atiq Ahmed was shifted to a high-security prison in Gujarat in 2019 on the orders of the Supreme Court, and was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case in 2020.

The death of Atiq Ahmed and his family members has raised several questions about the security lapses and the motive behind the killings. The police have arrested two suspects and are investigating the case. Some sources have suggested that it could be a case of gang rivalry or political vendetta, while others have speculated that it could be an act of self-defence by some of his victims or their relatives. The truth behind the killings may never be known, but one thing is certain: Atiq Ahmed's story is a cautionary tale of how crime does not pay in the long run.