Even as the Sangam city is limping back to normalcy after the Saturday’s murder of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, the police has stepped up its effort to nab Shaista Praveen, wife of Atiq and shooter Guddu Muslim.
With markets opening people were seen shopping. Internet services have been restored in the city on Tuesday after two days in the wake of the Allahabad High Court questioning the district authorities on suspension of Internet services.
However, high security arrangements in the district are still in place as the authorities are taking no chances till Eid and Juma tul vida to be observed on next Friday. Intensive police patrolling continued in Muslim dominated localities while drone is being used to monitor crowds at market place and other sensitive areas.
Meanwhile, a letter of Shaista Praveen and a WhatsApp threat message sent to a Muslim man demanding money has gone viral on social media on Tuesday.
In the letter Shaista alleged that Umesh Pal was murdered under a conspiracy hatched by a state cabinet minister to keep the post of mayor in his possession. “The Prayagraj Police is also working under the pressure of the minister. The Prayagraj police commissioner and a senior police official were conspiring with the opponents to kill my husband and brother-in-law,” she alleged.
She had sought intervention of the state chief minister through the letter on the whole matter. There was also a demand to conduct the husband and brother-in-law’s court appearance through video conferencing. There was also a demand to conduct an inquiry only inside the jail premises.
On the other hand, Mafia don Atiq, in a WhatsApp chat, asked a Muslim man to give money required to contest the mayoral polls. Atiq also mentioned that his sons were neither a doctor nor lawyer, hence they will realise the money.
After the killing of Atiq and Ashraf, the police is in search of Guddu Muslim. The last word of Ashraf was ‘Guddu Muslim’. What he wanted to tell Guddu Muslim is a secret now buried forever, but the buzz is that Guddu betrayed Atiq at the last minute. Ashraf wanted to say the same thing, just before he was shot.
There is a speculation that STF could have killed Asad and Ghulam on the information of Guddu. Since the day Asad and Ghulam’s encounter took place, rumours are rife that the police caught Guddu Muslim. But the police is yet to make any statement in this regard.
Earlier, police sources had said that Guddu was in Jhansi. Since then they changed their stand saying he is in Ajmer and then in Nashik. The rumour about Guddu Muslim’s double crossing started taking rounds after the killing of Atiq and Ashraf.
On the night of April 15 at Colvin Hospital, Atiq and Ashraf were asked by media persons why they did not attend Asad’s funeral. Atiq replied he did not go, but immediately after this, Ashraf uttered ‘the thing is that Guddu Muslim…’ Before he could complete his sentence Atiq was shot in the head, then Ashraf too was shot. Why did Ashraf take the name of Guddu Muslim when the media persons were talking about going to Asad’s funeral, this continued to be a mystery.
Sources reveal that Ashraf had told the STF that apart from Asad and Ghulam, Guddu would hand over Muslim, Armaan and Sabir.
As soon as the news of this came, Guddu Muslim contacted the STF. It is said he was staying at a Jhansi contractor’s house at that time. On his information, the STF reached there and Asad and Ghulam were encountered.
On the same day, news spread that the STF had surrounded Guddu in Ajmer. After this, he was said to be in Maharashtra. It was said that Guddu has been caught in Nasik.
Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were shot dead on Saturday night. The duo was shot after 10.30 pm when both of them were brought to the hospital for medical examination. Three assailants who came posing as media persons opened fire. A policeman and a journalist were also injured in the incident.