Prayagraj: A local Congress leader Rajkumar Singh Rajju was taken into custody by the police on Wednesday after he allegedly placed the tricolour on the grave of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, calling him a "martyr". The Congress expelled Rajju, who was a candidate in the upcoming urban local body polls, from the party for six years, its city president Pradeep Mishra Anshuman said.


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Anshuman said that Rajju was a Congress candidate for corporator from Azad Nagar in South Malaka. A purported video of the incident went viral in which Rajju can be seen placing the tricolour on Ahmed's grave and raising slogans in favour of Ahmad and his brother Ashraf and demanding Bharat Ratna for the former MP.


"He was a people's representative and a martyr. Why he was not given state honour and why the tricolour was not put on his grave," Rajju said, according to the purported video.


Anshuman claimed to have a photo of Rajju receiving the award from the state's Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya and said whatever happened was a conspiracy. Rajju is undergoing treatment for some psychiatric issues, he said, adding a prescription for psychiatric medicines was found at his home.


Dhoomanganj police station SHO Rajesh Kumar Maurya said Rajju has been detained and an FIR is being registered against him.


Five Policemen Suspended For Negligence Of Duty


Five policemen were suspended in Prayagraj in connection with the killings of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf, a police officer said on Wednesday. The suspended police officers include Shahganj SHO Ashwani Kumar Singh, a sub-inspector and three constables. The SIT probe into the incident has revealed negligence of duty on the part of the policemen.


Court Sends 3 Accused To 4-Day Police Custody


 


 The Chief Judicial Magistrate`s (CJM) court in Prayagraj on Wednesday sent three men accused of killing gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf to police custody for four days. Government prosecutor Gulab Chandra Agrahari said: "The special court of CJM Dinesh Chandra Gautam has sent the three shooters to four-day police remand." The police had sought 14-day remand of the three shooters, but the court has approved the remand for four days.

Agrahari said that the three accused - Lovlesh Tiwari, Mohit aka Sunny and Arun Kumar - were brought to the court of CJM DK Gautam amid tight security, and after an hour-long appearance in the court, they were taken away by the police.


Ahmad (60) and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists on Saturday night while police personnel were escorting the two brothers to a hospital in Prayagraj for a check-up.