The Prayagraj police and district administration have shortlisted 40 properties of jailed gangster Atiq Ahmad and are scanning records to establish whether they were procured through illegitimate means.

Officials of police, revenue and Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) are collecting details of properties in localities like Kasari Masari, Kareli, Harwara, Sadiapur, Mundera, Atala, Gaddopur and other pockets of the district.

The crackdown which began in 2018, has intensified after Atiq and his family members were named in the recent murder of Umesh Pal — the prime witness in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.

In November 2022, senior police authorities had prepared a dossier on Atiq’s illegal wealth and later attached many properties in Prayagraj, Kaushambhi and Lucknow.

As per the dossier, the police have already attached property worth over Rs 150 crore belonging to Atiq and his kin under the Gangster Act.

Besides, properties worth over Rs 180 crore have been demolished in Prayagraj and adjoining districts.

Also, properties worth over Rs 85 crore of his gang members and close associates have been attached and properties worth over Rs 570 crore have been razed so far.

Police have also attached, seized and suspended or cancelled over a dozen arms licences of the gang in the past five years.

According to a police official, “We have launched the exercise in Prayagraj and neighbouring districts. Cops have chalked out an elaborate plan to demolish the economic empire of the gangster and his aides in other states too.”

Atiq is currently lodged at Sabarmati jail in Gujarat while many of his aides were also cooling their heels in different UP jails.

Meanwhile, police constable Raghvendra Singh, 32, who was injured in the shooting incident in Prayagraj in which Umesh Pal died, has also succumbed to bullet injuries. Singh was deployed in Pal’s security and was accompanying him when he was attacked.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)