This Prayagraj BSP MLA Was Chased, Shot Dead In 2005. Here's Why His Wife Thanked CM Yogi
In the bypoll in 2002, Raju Pal defeated Khalid Azim by just 4,818 votes, delivering a major setback to the Atiq Ahmed family, which had held the seat unchallenged since 1989
In 2005, Prayagraj's (then Allahabad) political landscape underwent a dramatic shift, altering power equations and paving the way for years of violent clashes. That year, rising Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Raju Pal Singh was gunned down in broad daylight, a murder directly tied to Atiq Ahmed and his family.
In April 2023, Atiq Ahmed was shot dead while being taken for a medical check-up. Following his death, Raju Pal's wife and SP MLA Pooja Pal praised the Yogi Adityanath government and expressed her gratitude. Here's the story behind it.
In 2002, Raju Pal contested his first election from the Prayagraj West assembly seat against Atiq Ahmed but was unsuccessful. In 2004, Atiq became an MP from the Phulpur seat of the Lok Sabha, vacating his assembly seat for his brother Khalid Azim, also known as Ashraf.
During the by-election, Mayawati nominated Raju Pal, a staunch opponent of Atiq, against Mulayam Singh Yadav's close aide Atiq. The results were surprising, with Raju Pal defeating Khalid Azim by a narrow margin of 4,818 votes. This defeat was a significant blow to the Atiq family, who had dominated the seat since 1989.
January 25, 2005: Broad Daylight Firing
On January 25, 2005, Raju Pal was returning from Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital when he was attacked. Two cars began chasing his Toyota Qualis, with his companions following in a Scorpio. Along the way, he gave a lift to his supporter Sadiq's sister, Rukhsana. Near Sulam Sarai (Nehru Park), the attackers' Maruti van stopped their car, and about 25 sharpshooters began firing indiscriminately with sophisticated weapons. Raju Pal, along with his companions Sandeep Yadav and Devi Lal, was killed on the spot.
Atiq And Ashraf Named In FIR
After the murder, Raju Pal's wife, Puja Pal, lodged an FIR against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Mohammad Ashraf, and seven others from the gang, including Farhan, Abid, Ranjit Pal, and Gufran. This case became one of the most talked-about and high-profile cases in Prayagraj politics.
Atiq Family Regains The Seat
Following Raju Pal's death, Khalid Azim won the seat in the by-election. Mayawati gave the ticket to Puja Pal, but she lost. However, in 2007, Puja Pal won the same seat and defeated Atiq Ahmed in 2012. In 2017, she lost to Siddharth Nath Singh of the BJP, but in 2022, she returned to the assembly by winning the Chail seat from the Samajwadi Party.
Murder Of Witness Umesh Pal
In 2023, another major twist emerged in the Raju Pal murder case when Umesh Pal, a key witness, was killed. From 2005 to 2016, Pooja Pal and Umesh Pal shared a strained relationship. Once considered close to Atiq Ahmed, Umesh had even testified in his favour in court.
Although an attempt at reconciliation was made in 2016, Pooja's resentment lingered, and she reportedly rebuked Umesh's wife for her double standards. After Umesh's murder, tensions flared again, leading to a heated exchange between Pooja and Umesh's family at his funeral.
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