Prayagraj, 23 March (HS): A month has passed since professional shooters killed Umesh Pal and his two gunners outside his house in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area, but the Uttar Pradesh Police has yet to apprehend the notorious five, including mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, was assassinated by professional shooters after returning home from court on February 24.

In the last month, the police have conducted over 100 search operations in 13 states and 15 districts, detained over 15 suspects, conducted two encounters, razed the homes of five close associates of Atiq Ahmad and arrested them, doubled the cash rewards for identifying shooters, and, most recently, raided Atiq's office, where the police recovered 9 pistols and Rs 74 lakh cash. But, the police were unable to locate the notorious five, Atiq's wife, and other suspects identified in the FIR.

The notorious five gunmen are still at large: Sabir, Guddu Muslim, Armaan, Ghulam, and Asad. The UP Police Department has also enlisted the help of its elite Special Task Unit (STF) to track down the gunmen.

According to a top police officer, the whole state apparatus is looking for Asad and four other shooters, including crude bomb specialist and Atiq's close aide Guddu Muslim.

Authorities revealed that, in addition to raising the monetary prize to Rs 5 lakh for each gunman, searches were conducted in over 100 hideouts in areas like as Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kaushambhi, and Gorakhpur. In addition, the police have killed two suspects: Arbaaz, who drove the shooter's car, and Vijay Chaudhary alias Usman, who fired the initial shot at Umesh Pal. In addition, Atiq Ahmad's two younger kids, Ahzam and Abaan, have been placed in a juvenile home. Sadaqat Khan, an unlawful detainee at Muslim Boarding House, was also detained for allegedly participating in the murder plot.

The arduous search for Umesh Pal's murderers has also brought to mind another gunman and accomplice of Atiq Ahmad, Abdul Kauwi, who has been missing for the last 18 years. Kauwi is sought for the murder of BSP Lawmaker Raju Pal in January 2005. Kauwi, a Kaushambi inhabitant, is carrying a Rs 50,000 prize. His posters were also distributed around the region. His brother Abdul Qadir was just detained in Kaushambi for providing him with sanctuary. Similarly, there is a Rs 25,000 cash reward for locating Atiq Ahmad's wife Shaista Parveen, who is suspected of being a part of a bigger plan to assassinate Umesh Pal.

She was also implicated in a FIR filed at Prayagraj's Dhumanganj police station, with her imprisoned husband Atiq Ahmad, his brother Khalid Azeem (alias Ashraf), son Asad, and the shooters Guddu, Sabir, Mohd Gulam, and Armaan. Many persons have been detained by police for their involvement with the shooters. Mubasshir Harun, Sadaqat's associate and Muslim Boarding inmate; Mohd Nafis, the owner of a popular eatery who allegedly provided the shooters with his vehicle; Rahil Hasan, brother of shooter Mohd Gulam; and former city president of the BJP minority cell in Prayagraj, and Atiq Ahmad's trusted aide Balli Pandit aka Sudhanshu Tiwari are the detainees. On February 19, Shaista Parveen allegedly paid a visit to Balli Pandit's home with shooter Sabir and a few others.

Furthermore, the Prayagraj administration has demolished the homes of five Atiq Ahmad associates, including Zafar Ahmad Khan, a Banda mediaperson; Safdar Ali, an alleged supplier of arms and ammunition to Atiq and his aides; Mohd Mashuk Pradhan, the MP's financer; and Abdul Kauwi, the MP's absconding henchman.

The assassination of Umesh Pal was the most contentious subject in the state legislature, when opposition parties, including SP president and opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav, lambasted the government over the shootout.

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, sought to corner the SP, saying, It was the SP that nourished and supported the mafia such as Atiq Ahmad, and now they are pointing fingers at us. 'Mafia ko mitti mein mila dunga,' (will finish the mafias). The Prayagraj catastrophe is tragic, and those responsible will not be spared . The CM further stated that his government has a zero tolerance attitude towards mafia and crime, and this would continue in the Prayagraj case.

Hindusthan Samachar/Abhishek Awasthi