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‘Political ambitions caused rift between Atiq & Raju Pal’
Raju Pal himself was once a member of Atiq’s gang. A notorious criminal and a history sheeter, he was considered close to some of Atiq’s henchmen through whom he came in contact with the slain mafia-politician.
Broad daylight murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in January 2005 led to a chain of events that resulted in the downfall, and finally the murders of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf, a former MLA, in April 2023.
However, Raju Pal himself was once a member of Atiq’s gang. A notorious criminal and a history sheeter, he was considered close to some of Atiq’s henchmen through whom he came in contact with the slain mafia-politician.
A class 8 dropout, Raju Pal started as a local goon of Neewa area and had the first criminal case registered against him in 1992. Raju’s supremacy in Neewa and surrounding areas was undisputed, and his friends included many local criminals. In 2002, Raju Pal’s name surfaced along with one Tufail and some others in murder of one Anees Pehalwan, the father of Mohd Farhan (one of the seven convicted in Raju’s murder case). Raju was also an accused in the murder of his maternal uncle and father of Ranjeet Pal, another person convicted in the case.
Retired IG Lalji Shukla who served as SP city of Allahabad back in 2007, says that Raju Pal, Balli Pandit and other criminals in the area were all connected to Atiq Ahmed’s gang and were patronised by him.
However, Raju’s political ambitions caused a rift between him and Atiq, he added.
Till 2004, Raju Pal had 25 cases registered against him including two of murder. Keeping in view his popularity among his own community and his influence, BSP offered him a ticket from City West in 2004 bypolls which was vacant after Atiq won Lok Sabha elections from Phulpur.
Atiq fielded his younger brother Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf and despite threats, Raju Pal refused to back off. He contested the polls with support of Atiq’s rivals including Rizwan Neewa and defeated Ashraf posing a challenge to Atiq’s authority.
Fumed over the humiliating defeat, Atiq then encouraged his henchman Balli Pandit to kill Raju Pal. Balli had a grudge against Raju Pal ever since he had assaulted his father, a CBI officer.
Just 15 days before Raju Pal was killed, Balli Pandit aka Sudhanshu Tripathi opened fire on Raju Pal’s SUV. However, he escaped and saved himself. Balli Pandit was arrested and sent to jail. Atiq Ahmed then planned a more aggressive assault on Raju Pal.
Raju’s arch rivals Mohd Farhan, Ranjeet Pal and others also joined Atiq’s gang to take revenge. Atiq used their rivalries to get rid of Raju Pal and claim his supremacy back in the constituency.
