NEW DELHI, Apr 19: A local Congress leader in Prayagraj laid Tricolour on the grave of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed in Prayagraj and also heard calling the deceased criminal a “martyr.” He was promptly expelled from the party by the Prayagraj Congress on Wednesday for six years and also cancelled his candidature in local body elections.
In a viral video, Rajkumar Singh ‘Rajju’ can be seen laying the national tricolour and can also be heard calling Atiq Ahmed a “martyr” and demanding a Bharat Ratna for the gangster-politician who was shot dead recently.
After the video went viral, Rajju was expelled from the party for six years. The Prayagraj Congress Committee issued a letter to notify this. The letter read, “Congress candidate from Azad Square ward no 43, Rajkumar Singh ‘Rajju’ has been expelled. His statement about Atiq Ahmed was his personal views. His candidacy has been cancelled.”
After the video went viral, Prayagraj Police took him into custody and registered an FIR against him. Atiq Ahmed, a former MP and five-time member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, who was principal accused in the lawyer Umesh Pal murder, and his brother Ashraf were killed by three men posing as journalists in Prayagraj on April 15. The firing took place near MLN Medical College premises where they were being taken for medical examination. Both of them were buried at the Kasari Masari graveyard.
All three shooters, identified as Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya, surrendered to the UP Police at the spot.
(Manas Dasgupta)