Dreaded criminal Munna Bajrangi’s murder in Baghpat prison has triggered insecurity among a dozen gangsters lodged in various jails across UP.
Notorious gangsters Atiq Ahmed, Mukim alias ‘Kala’, Udaibhan Singh alias ‘Doctor’, Titu alias Kiranpal, Rocky alias ‘Kaki’, Alam Singh and others, who were shifted from one jail to another, fear a threat to life.
They want to be shifted to jails located in their “areas of influence”.
Gangster Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi was shot dead inside Baghpat jail on Monday after he was shifted there from Jhansi jail around 9:30 pm on Sunday for an appearance in a local court.
He was considered to be close to gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who was shifted from the high security Lucknow jail to a remote Banda jail last year.
Ansari, who was elected MLA from Mau assembly seat on a BSP ticket, had also expressed apprehension that he might be eliminated within prison by rivals. He was admitted to the SGPGI hospital in January after he complained of chest pain.
After BJP came to power in UP in March last year, over 94 criminals have been shifted from one jail to another to make their crime machinery ineffective.
However, a strongman and independent MLC, Brijesh Singh, considered close to the ruling party and an arch rival of Ansari, was not shifted and remained in Varanasi jail. His nephew, Sushil Singh is BJP MLA from Saiyad Raza assembly seat in Chandauli district.
{{/usCountry}}However, a strongman and independent MLC, Brijesh Singh, considered close to the ruling party and an arch rival of Ansari, was not shifted and remained in Varanasi jail. His nephew, Sushil Singh is BJP MLA from Saiyad Raza assembly seat in Chandauli district.
{{/usCountry}}Ansari had told media persons that the state government was following a double policy — while criminals close to the ruling party were given “special treatment”, those considered bete-noire were shifted to far-flung jails.
Dismissing Ansari’s allegation, a state prison department officer said he was not the only one shifted.
Countering the prison department’s claim, Ansari raised objection to the special treatment given to Brijesh Singh in Varanasi jail.
Bajrangi’s killing comes a fortnight after his wife Seema Singh had expressed apprehension that her husband might be killed in custody.
A senior police officer said although the dons were lodged in jails, their gangs were running a reign of terror, committing crimes like murder, kidnapping, dacoity and extortion.
A strongman’s call from jail was enough to terrorise businessmen, contractors and even government officers. Those who refused to follow their diktats were threatened, attacked or killed, he said.