After two days of suspension, internet services have been restored in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh which was suspended after the double murder of gangster brothers Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf on Saturday, April 15th. As per the latest information, the internet services are being restored in the town in a phased manner from Tuesday morning. The resumption of the internet has brought a sigh of relief for the residents whose daily routine got affected when the internet was shut down.
Notably, not just mobile internet but fixed-line broadband services were also suspended in the town as a security measure. The shutdown has affected businesses worth Rs 300 crore in two days.
Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead outside Colvin Hospital in Prayagraj on Saturday. The police came into action and fortified the city and also sealed the borders. As a precaution, the internet was suspended indefinitely and Section 144 was imposed in the city. The double murder posed questions to police security on one hand, and on the other, it brought utter silence in Prayagraj. Sunday morning scenes looked like of the days during the lockdown. Heavy police deployment continues to be in different places across the city, especially in the sensitive areas of Chakiya and Chowk.
ALSO READ | Empty Roads, Closed Shops, No Internet: How Prayagraj Looked Like Day After Atiq- Ashraf Double Murder
Meanwhile, the three gunmen who assassinated gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed- Lavalesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh, and Arun Maurya, were transported from Prayagraj’s Naini Central Jail to Pratapgarh District Jail by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday. The transfer was made on administrative grounds, news agency PTI reported. Officials stated the trio was brought from Prayagraj around 12 p.m. and arrived in Pratapgarh at 2.10 p.m.
One of Atiq Ahmad’s sons is now being held at the Prayagraj Central Jail in Uttar Pradesh.
After being sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody on Sunday, the three gunmen were sent to Naini jail. All three suspects have been separated from other detainees and are being closely monitored by jail officials.
Atiq Ahmad, sought in over 100 criminal cases, including the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal, was killed together with his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj while being transported for a medical test. The three gunmen pretended to be journalists and opened fire on the Ahmed brothers in full front of TV crews. Following the killing, the gunmen quickly surrendered and were apprehended.
