Hunt for slain gangster Atiq Ahmed’s sister Ayesha Noori intensifies

Uttar Pradesh police have shifted their focus to tracing slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's sister, Ayesha Noori, an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

Ayesha, is also on the run along with her mother after the police added their names to the list of accused on April 9 on charges of providing shelter and financial help to the men involved in Umesh Pal's murder.

According to reports, Ayesha is one of the four sisters of slain gangster Atiq Ahmed. Her husband Dr Akhlaq Ahmed, a Merrut-based government doctor, was arrested by the special task force (STF) on April 2 fromhis residence.

Ayesha came to limelight when she followed the cavalcade of police carrying late gangster Atiq from Sabarmati jail of Gujarat to Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmed (60) and his brother Ashraf were shot dead from point-blank range by three men posing as journalists on Saturday night while police personnel were escorting the brothers to a hospital in Prayagraj for a medical-checkup.

The brothers were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews. The horrifying visuals were circulated widely on social media platforms and television channels.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the killings, even as the three assailants who shot the two brothers were shifted from the Prayagraj Central Prison to a Pratapgarh jail on Monday.

The shifting of the shooters to the Pratapgarh District Jail was done on administrative grounds, officials told PTI.

The three assailants - Lavlesh Tiwari (22) of Banda, Mohit alias Sunny (23) of Hamirpur and Arun Maurya (18) of Kasganj - who cops say wanted to make a name for themselves by eliminating Ahmed's gang, were sent to judicial custody for 14 days after they were produced in court over the weekend.