Three years after the tragic killing of advocate Umesh Pal and his two police bodyguards in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have successfully located a suspect with a reward of Rs 5 lakh, who is currently incarcerated in a Bihar jail.
The individual in question, identified as Mohammad Arman, is believed to have ties with the criminal organization of the deceased Prayagraj mafia leader, Atiq Ahmed.
Uttar Pradesh Police had been on the lookout for Arman since his alleged involvement in Umesh Pal’s murder came to light during investigations. Reports indicate that he was the driver of the motorcycle used by another suspect, Guddu Muslim, who was riding as a passenger.
According to a senior police official, they received information about a week ago regarding Arman’s detention in a prison located in Gaya district, Bihar, due to an unrelated case. This information was subsequently verified by a police team in Gaya.
The police plan to file a petition in the Prayagraj court on the upcoming Monday, requesting a B-warrant to facilitate Arman’s transfer to Prayagraj as part of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Umesh Pal and his security personnel.
The preliminary inquiry revealed that following the murder, Arman traveled to Gaya and voluntarily surrendered to a court concerning an earlier firearms case after having his bail revoked. He has since been held in the Gaya jail.
Investigators discovered that Arman, originally from Bihar, operated a food stall in the Civil Lines area of Prayagraj, where he interacted with associates of Atiq Ahmed. It is alleged that he later collaborated with Ahmed and grew his business through funds obtained from illicit activities.
Arman is one of six individuals sought in connection with the February 24, 2023, murder of Umesh Pal and his two police escorts in Dhoomanganj. The attack occurred as Umesh Pal exited his vehicle near his residence, where assailants opened fire and detonated explosives before escaping in a vehicle.
To date, police have killed four suspects linked to the case in confrontations. Notably, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, also implicated in the crime, were shot dead in April 2023 while in police custody, an event that was broadcast live on television.
The list of wanted individuals includes three relatives of Atiq Ahmed: his wife Shaista Parveen, sister-in-law Zainab Fatima (the wife of Ashraf), and elder sister Ayesha Noori. Shaista Parveen has a bounty of Rs 50,000 on her head, while Rs 25,000 has been offered for information leading to Ayesha Noori’s capture. Additionally, Guddu Muslim and another accused named Sabir each have a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information resulting in their arrest.
Umesh Pal was a crucial witness in the 2005 murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, in which Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were implicated.
For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram.
