93 dons moved out of home district jails to neutralise them

EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE BAHUBALIS OPERATING FROM BEHIND BARS, THE UP CM DIRECTED OFFICERS TO SHIFT THEM TO FARFLUNG PRISONS

In the 43 days of the Yogi Adityanath regime in Uttar Pradesh, as many as 93 bahubalis (dons) have been shifted to different jails in an attempt to make their crime machinery ineffective.

Mukhtar Ansari, Munna Bajrangi, Atiq Ahmed, Shekhar Tiwari, Maulana Anwarul Haq, Mukim alias Kala, Udaibhan Singh alias doctor, Titu alias Kiranpal, Rocky alias Kaki and Alam Singh are among those who have been shifted to farflung jails from prisons in their home districts.

Though the dons are behind bars, their gangs let loose a reign of terror — committing murders, kidnapping, dacoity and extortion — with ease. A bahubali’s call from jail was enough to terrorise businessmen, contractors and even government officers. Those who refused to follow their diktats were threatened, attacked or killed.

In his first law and order review meeting held on March 30, the chief minister propelled the police and prison officers into action. Expressing concern over the bahubalis running murder, kidnapping and extortion rackets from behind bars, he directed the officers to shift them to far-flung jails.

Mukhtar Ansari was shifted from Lucknow jail to Banda, Atiq Ahmed from Naini central jail to Deoria, Munna Bajrangi from Jhansi jail to Pilibhit and Shekhar Tiwari from Barabanki to Maharajganj jail. Sources said the jail superintendents of Banda, Pilibhit and Deoria were nervous when they received the orders for shifting the dons. The senior jail officers instilled confidence in them and were told not to buckle under the pressure but to deal strictly with bahubalis.

To put pressure on the jail officers of Pilibhit, Munna Bajrangi, a dreaded contract killer, allegedly told them that he had detail of their family, even the schools and colleges where their children studied.

But the jail officials were told to follow Yogi Adityanath’s order and not be apprehensive. Munna Bajrangi is cooling his heels in Pilibhit jail.

Talking to HT, additional director general of police (prison) GL Meena said, “Though behind bars, a majority of the criminals had established their crime network in the area. The jail administration received information that the gang members used to meet in jail and plan incidents of crime from there. The jail officers were under pressure due to the influence of the mafiosi. During surprise raids, mobile phones and SIM cards were recovered from the cells of criminals.”