Baba Siddique case: UP saw similar killings of gangsters Atiq, Ashraf Ahmed | India News – Times of India

LUCKNOW: Murder of NCP functionary on Saturday Baba Siddique in Mumbai has revealed disturbing parallels with last year’s sensational killings of UP gangsters Atiq Ahmed and brother Ashraf in police custody in Prayagrajas well as the murder in court by Sanjeev Maheshwari in Lucknow. In all three cases, the pattern is that relatively unknown gunmen with no or limited criminal history were contracted by powerful, hidden players to carry out high-profile assassinations with precision and deadly efficiency.
Atiq and Ashraf were gunned down at Colvin Hospital in Prayagraj on April 15, 2023, by three assailants – Lavlesh Tiwari (22), Mohit Singh alias Shani (23) and Arun Maurya (18). murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, were escorted for a routine check when the , disguised as journalists, fired from close range. The shooting was carried out quickly, leaving Atiq and Ashraf dead on the spot. The attackers are now in prison.
On June 7, 2023, Maheshwari – another gangster with 24 cases against him – was shot dead in a courtroom in Lucknow. The gunman, Vijay Yadav, posed as a lawyer and fired six bullets at Maheshwari, killing him on the spot. A toddler and her mother were also injured in the crossfire. Yadav, who had no known personal vendetta against Maheshwari, was immediately arrested, raising suspicions that he too was acting on behalf of a powerful figure. A striking similarity is the use of advanced, unusual weapons. Atiq and Ashraf’s killers were armed with high-quality 9mm Turkish Zigana pistols – expensive, imported firearms.