Uttar Pradesh: Six Properties Of Gangster Atiq Ahmed Demolished Since 2020, Two Of Them On Government Land

Six buildings owned by Atiq Ahmed, a gangster turned politician, including his house and office, have been demolished by the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) since September 2020.

Two of them were built on government land, as per the report.

“After we demolished the two buildings constructed on government land, we took possession of the land. The remaining four properties that were demolished belonged to Atiq Ahmed. Those buildings were demolished because they were constructed without their plans being approved by the authority concerned.

"Due process was followed before the demolitions. Notice was issued to Atiq Ahmed,” a senior PDA official said, reported The Indian Express.

The official added that as of now, no family member has come forward regarding the demolitions of Ahmed's properties.

“We collect information about the person who had possession of the land concerned through neighbours. If the building is constructed illegally, we issue notice to the person concerned and seek a reply,” the official said.

Over the past two years, the PDA has reclaimed three buildings that were previously owned by Atiq and built on government land.

On September 22, 2020, Atiq's two-story house in Prayagraj's Chakia neighborhood was demolished, following the demolition of his office at Chakia crossing, which was approximately three kilometers away from the house.

“We found Atiq had constructed the office building in a bigger area than was approved by the authority. The building plan was approved by the authority in October 2004. Notices were issued at Atiq’s house in 2019, seeking an explanation for the extra construction,” the PDA official said. The office spanned a total area of approximately 9,000 square feet.

On 21 March, Prayagraj police searched the office building following the arrest of five suspects involved in the murder of Umesh Pal and two policemen in Dhoomanganj area. Individuals arrested included Atiq's driver and domestic help.

Police found Rs 72.37 lakh, plus weapons, in Atiq's office during the search.

Shop owners near the building have stated that some years back, a family resided on the land where Atiq's office building was constructed. The family allegedly faced coercion from Atiq to sell the land at a much lower price than the prevailing market rates.