One After Another Killing Of Dons In Custody At UP Raises Suspicion

Lucknow: In a concerning trend, 10 individuals have been killed while in police or judicial custody in Yogi Raj, Uttar Pradesh. These incidents have raised doubts about whether encounter and custodial killings have become a method of eliminating notorious gangsters. One such incident occurred on Wednesday when gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari, also known as Jeeva, was killed while being taken to the Lucknow court for a hearing. The assailant, disguised as a lawyer, unleashed a hail of bullets on Jeeva at the courtroom entrance.

The assailant, Vijay Yadav, was apprehended on the spot, and subsequent police interrogation revealed his status as a newcomer to the world of crime. Earlier in April this year, Don Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were killed at a hospital gate in Prayagraj while being taken for a medical checkup while under police remand.

Police still trying to ascertain clear motive in custodial killings

In both these custodial killings the police have been unable to ascertain any clear motive. Besides, none of the assailants were found having association with any of the rival gangs. The weapons used in both the crimes have been recovered and the killers are in custody but the police are shooting in the dark when it comes to find out the real conspirators. 

According to a former senior police officer of UP, the killers in both the cases were lesser known people with no major crime history. This makes it sure that they were part of a larger conspiracy which the police must find out. "Those killed were dreaded gangsters who were provided proper security cover. If such people are being killed by amateur criminals, then it raises more suspicion," he said. According to him, the weapons used in the killing of Atiq & Ashraf as well as Jeeva were foreign made sophisticated ones which any ordinary criminal cannot procure. Turkish made pistol Zigana was used in the killing of Don Atiq Ahmad and brother Ashraf while the assailant in Jeeva murder fired from a Czech made revolver. 

The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has constituted a three member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Director General (ADG), Mohit Agarwal, Inspector General (IG) Neelabja Choudhury and IG Praveen Kumar. The CM has asked SIT to complete the probe in seven days and submit a report to him.

Killing In Police & Judicial Custody In Yogi Raj

1.     Mafia Munna Bajrangi killed inside Baghpat Jail

2.     Dreaded Don of West UP Mukeem Kala & Mukhtar Ansari’s shooter Meraj killed in Chitrakoot Jail

3.     Anshu Dixit the killer of Mukeem Kala and Meraj too was killed inside Chitrakoot Jail

4.     Girdhari, an accused of Ajeet Singh murder was killed by police while fleeing from remand.

5.     Dreaded Vikas Dubey of Bikru massacre  was killed by police in encounter while trying to flee from custody

6.     Another accused of Bikru case, Kartikeya was killed in the encounter in the same manner.

7.     Mafia Atiq & Ashraf were killed in police custody while being taken to hospital for checkup.

8.     Sanjeev Maheshwari alias Jeeva was killed outside courtroom where he was taken by police on remand.