The three assailants who shot dead Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf un cold blood and then surrendered before the police showed that the three were no laymen in crime world.
Once taken into police custody the three were identified as Lovlesh Tiwari, Arun Maurya and Sunny. However police sources said while preliminary questioning, the three gave contradictory identity details of each other. The three were kept separately and were being questioned by separate teams led by senior officers. Commissioner of Police (CP) Prayagraj told TOI that it would be too early to authoritatively identify the accused and motive for the murder a clearer picture will emerge by Sunday.
Senior police officers however claimed that the meticulous planning with which the murder was executed, suggested that the three knew what they were getting into. Carrying an old video camera to pose as TV reporters, they mingled with other reporters waiting to take bytes from Atiq and Ashraf.
“They are said to have reached the site on motorcycles at least half an hour before Atiq arrived. They were equipped with sophisticated pistols and had fired at least 14 shots
. Some live cartridgeswere also recovered from the scene which suggests that either the pistols had misfired or they were carrying additional ammunition with them,” said a senior police officer adding that such preparations suggests that they were not first-timers.
“The manner in which the assailant pressed the pistol muzzle on Atiq’s left temple and fired the shot requires guts and something which a first timer is unlikely to carry out with the ease that it was done. Again as per initial reports, Atiq took the maximum bullets which suggests twothings: Either the assailants wanted to make sure that he did not survive by any chance or they were so angry with him for reasons best known to them that they kept on firing at him repeatedly,” pointed out a senior police officer.
Reports said the accused raised religious slogans after they were apprehended by the police was also being looked at as a possible attempt to divert attention or an attempt to establish their identity.
Senior officials were of the view that the arrest of the three accused will help to unravel the mystery behind the motive.