Internet suspended in Prayagraj; Sec 144 imposed across UP
PRAYAGRAJ: The Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday bolstered patrolling across Prayagraj, where gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad’s house is located, and officials conducted flag marches in several parts of the state, a day after Atiq and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in all districts of the state, and internet services remain shut in Prayagraj district as part of the security measures.
“We are keeping vigil. After looking at the sensitivity of the situation in the district we are on alert. We are talking to the public to maintain peace,” superintendent of police (Mau) Avinash Pandey told news agency ANI.
Police patrolling was increased in the sensitive districts, including Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Bareilly and several districts of west UP.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday cancelled his official engagements to personally monitor the situation and called up a meeting with senior police officials for the second time in 24 hours. As a security measure, the entry of media persons has been restricted to 5 Kalidas Marg, which houses the CM’s official residence.
In Prayagraj, soon after news of the murders broke late on Saturday, Eid shoppers thronging Roshanbagh and Chowk mar
kets rushed back home fearing violence on streets. The usually hustling and bustling markets during Ramzan wore an eerily deserted look on Sunday too.
In Chakia area, where Atiq Ahmad’s house is located, police deployment was strengthened extensively fearing a backlash.
“Sansadji (as Atiq was popularly called by locals) and Ashraf bhai were killed as part of a conspiracy. Police were responsible for his murder,” said a local resident, who refused to be identified.
A resident at Prayagraj’s Kasari Masari, located around a kilometre away from Chakia, said the locals are yet to come to terms with the deaths. “Despite news channels showing their bodies and the footage of the assault, people are finding it hard to believe that they are dead.”
Meanwhile, two graves were buried at the Kasari Masari graveyard for Atiq and Ashraf on Sunday, located close to where Atiq’s son Asad was buried a day before. Khan added that Atiq’s parents were also laid to rest there.