The three assailants involved in Atiq Ahmed’s killing, identified as Lovlesh Tewari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya, have criminal records, said the police.

The three had posed as journalists and joined a group of media persons after which they shot dead Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf from point-blank range while they were speaking to reporters in Prayagraj on Saturday night.

Their families have said they have nothing to do with them.

The police, that swung into action immediately after subduing the three shooters on the spot, are probing their background and criminal antecedents.

Police officials said Lovlesh Tewari was jailed earlier as well. His father told the media that the family has nothing to do with him. Lovlesh visited home at times, and was in Banda five-six days back as well, the father said, adding that he was a wastrel and a drug addict.

“He is my son. We saw the incident on TV. We are not aware of the actions of Lovlesh nor do we have anything to do with this. He never lived here, and neither was he involved in our family affairs. He did not tell us anything. He came here five to six days ago. We have not been on talking terms with him for years. There is already a case registered against him. He was jailed in that case,” said the father Yagya Tiwari.

Sunny, who belongs to Kasganj, has 14 cases registered against him, and has been on the run since being declared a history-sheeter.

His father had died, and he left home after selling off his share of the ancestral property. Sunny has not visited his family, his mother and brother, for over five years now. His brother runs a tea stall.

“He used to wander around and did no work. We live separately and do not know how he became a criminal. We have no idea about the incident,” said Pintu Singh, brother of shooter Sunny Singh.

The third shooter, Arun Maurya, of Hamirpur, had left home as a child. His name appeared in connection with the murder of a policeman on a train in 2010, sources said.

He worked at a factory in Delhi.

The accused told the police during questioning that they wanted to become notorious criminals, which is why they murdered Atiq, though the police do not believe their confession yet.

The police are investigating how the three men obtained such expensive firearms that were used in the killing.

Besides, all three seem to be very well trained in shooting which is not possible in case of amateurs.