Atiq Ahmad’s killers transferred to Pratapgarh District Jail over ‘administrative’ reasons

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday transferred Lavalesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya, the three shooters who killed gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad on Saturday, have been transferred from Prayagraj’s Naini Central Jail to Pratapgarh District Jail. The move has been carried out on administrative grounds.

The three shooters were sent to Naini jail after being sent to 14-day judicial custody on Sunday. All three accused have been kept separately from other prisoners and their special monitoring is being done by jail officials.

Atiq Ahmad, wanted in more than 100 cases including the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal, was shot dead along with his brother Ashraf while they were being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj. The three shooters posed as journalist, and shot the Ahmad brothers at point-blank range in full view of camera crews. The shooters immediately surrendered after the killing and were arrested.

Atiq Ahmad was shot dead on the same day his son Asad Ahmad, killed in an alleged encounter with UP police, was buried.

The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a three-member judicial committee to probe Atiq Ahmad’s killing. The panel will be headed by retired Allahabad high court judge Arvind Kumar Tripathi, and will include retired judge BK Soni and ex-DGP Subesh Kumar Singh.