LUCKNOW: The bodies of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Kahlid Azim alias Ashraf were laid to rest at their family graveyard in Kasari Masari on late Sunday evening.
Atiq and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists when they were answering reporters' queries while being escorted by police personnel to a medical college here for a checkup on Saturday.
As per the local sources, around 70-80 people including close relatives of Atiq and Ashraf joined their funeral procession and paid their last tributes to the gangster brothers who were laid to rest at their family graveyard. Atiq’s son Asad had earlier been buried in the same graveyard on Saturday after being killed in a police encounter in Jhansi on Thursday.
Atiq’s two twin minor sons – Mohmmad Azhum and Mohammad Abaan -- currently in a juvenile home, were taken in an ambulance to the burial ground to pay their last respects. Even Ashraf’s daughters were also reportedly present in the graveyard to have a last glimpse of their father and uncle.
However, Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen and Ashraf’s wife Zainab failed to turn up at the burial ground amid heavy police deployment. Both Shaista and Zainab are accused in the Umesh Pal murder case and have been absconding since the day of the incident on February 24.
Similarly, Atiq’s two elder sons -- Umer and Ali -- lodged in Lucknow and Naini jail respectively could not join the funeral as they are in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, a panel of three doctors had earlier conducted the post-mortem examination of the body of Atiq and Ashraf. As per the sources, the autopsy report claimed that while Atiq had sustained eight bullet shots, Ashraf had six. The viscera of both Atiq and Ashraf were preserved for future investigations if needed. The entire process of the autopsy was conducted under videography following the laid norms.
According to officials, Atiq and Ashraf had a long criminal history.
Since 1979, 101 cases were registered against Atiq, while 57 were lodged against Ashraf. The first murder case against Atiq was lodged in 1979, when he was 17 years of age. By 1985, Atiq's terror had spread not only in Prayagraj, but to other parts of Uttar Pradesh as well.