Yogi says no mafia can now threaten anyone in UP

Days after Gangster Atiq Ahmed was gunned down, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that no mafia or criminal can threaten anyone in the state now.

Addressing an event in the state, the chief minister said that those who were a threat to UP earlier don’t stand a chance and that UP is now a threat to them.

He further highlighted that earlier — during the Samajwadi party reign — the state was known for riots and saw over 700 such incidents between 2012 and 2017.

But after 2017, he added, not a single riot has broken out in the state, nor has there been a need to impose curfews anywhere. “Just names of many districts scared people. Now there is no need to be scared,” he said.

The government under him guarantees “effective law and order arrangements,” the chief minister highlighted.

His comments come days Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were gunned down point-blank range as they were being escorted by the police into a Prayagraj hospital Saturday night for a medical check-up.

Police officers who were escorting the Ahmad brothers during the time of the incident, arrested Lavlesh Tiwari (22) from Banda, Mohit alias Sunny (23) from Hamirpur, and Arun Maurya (18) from Kasganj after they opened fire. Tiwari sustained injuries in a cross-fire, which also resulted in a police officer being hurt,

The police have charged the three men for murder, attempted murder, and violation of the Arms Act. During the investigation, at least two firearms were recovered from the site of the shooting.

Ahmed’s killing came two days after Atiq’s son Asad was killed in an encounter in Jhansi.