Slain shooter Usman met ex-MLA Ashraf, spoke to Atiq on phone: Police

Slain shooter Vijay Chaudhary aka Usman was connected to gangster-turned-politician and former MP Atiq Ahmad since long, claim police.

Usman was introduced to the gang by Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf, the former legislator and younger brother of Atiq, adds police based on their investigations into the February 24 murder of lawyer Umesh Pal.

Usman had also met Ashraf in Bareilly jail, the cops maintain.

Usman was killed in a shootout with the police under the Kaundhiyara police station area of Prayagraj on March 6.

He was the first shooter who opened fire on Umesh Pal as visible in CCTV footages. He then went back as Gulam appears on the scene but returned and fired more shots.

Questioning from associates of Atiq by police teams revealed that Usman spoke to Atiq when he was taken to Bareilly jail by Gulam to meet Ashraf. The call was made from Ashraf’s phone which he was using in jail. Usman was included in the list of shooters when conspiracy of killing Umesh Pal was hatched by Ashraf at Bareilly Jail.

Investigations disclose that Usman felt honoured when Atiq called him ‘son’ while speaking on the phone and was ready to work for him. Atiq also promised to give him ₹10 lakh cash and a car after the work was done.

Feeling elated after meeting Ashraf and talking to Atiq directly on the phone, Vijay Chaudhary aka Usman promised to work for the gang with dedication. Police officials said that Usman disclosed this information to police after he was injured in cross firing with police. He later died at SRN hospital.

It is worth mentioning that Usman has previous criminal records and his brother Rajesh is a history sheeter. Rajesh is presently lodged in Satna Jail in some case. Usman used to drive SUV for someone in Ghoorpur but later he joined Atiq Ahmad’s gang. His wife had made allegations that police detained her husband from home and killed him in fake encounter.