Atiq’s money envelope… I gave it to the beggar: Police used to decorate the house like arms room, the experience of the photographer who went to the mafia’s brothel

Huge Kothi spread over 3000 square meters. 8 security guards from the main gate to the inner hallway and 12 luxury vehicles parked in the shed at the far end. Everything is settled in the eyes even today. I still remember that evening… I was returning after taking Ateeq’s photo. Then a loud voice stopped me- Yadav ji wait…

When I turned around, Atik was standing behind me. He came close to me and put a white envelope in his shirt pocket. I refused. Said, “I am getting a good salary for this work. There is no need for this envelope.” Atiq did not agree. He told me- I am like your elder brother… giving with love. Keep it

I could not bear the black burden of that white envelope. I handed over the envelope to a beggar sitting near the nearby mosque and returned home from there.

The matter is 7 years old… June 27, 2016 was the day. I reached Chakia area. Atiq’s white colored house was visible from a distance. I reached Atiq’s house to take his photo. This was the first and last meeting between him and me.

This picture is of Atiq’s ancestral house in Chakia. It was demolished in September, 2020.

Those days the month of Ramzan was going on. From Delhi, I got a call from ‘Open’ magazine that they are doing a cover story on the mafias of Uttar Pradesh. In this connection, he has interviewed Ateeq Ahmed and I have to click some of his pictures and send them. The magazine guys gave me Atiq’s number and it was also told that he has been talked about for the photography. I just have to take the time to go photograph it.

In those days the newspapers used to call him Bhai or Atiq Bhai like common Allahabadis. I called on the given number. Talked to Atiq. After listening to me completely, Ateeq said, “Yadav ji keep it tomorrow.” On this, Atik said, “Yadav ji is fasting, office is not going on. We rest during the day. You keep it at home at 5:00 pm.

The next day at 5 pm I reached Atiq’s ancestral home in Chakia with my camera. There was an elderly man sitting near the main gate. He asked the reason for my coming, then asked me to stop at the door and went inside. After a while he called me inside.

I went inside the gate. Seeing the scene in front, the eyes remained wide open. Inside, there was a huge open area at the front. There was a shed in the left site. Where more than one 12 luxurious foreign cars were parked. Atiq’s younger brother former MLA Ashraf was found while walking there. On his asking, I told that there is an appointment with Atik Bhai at 5 o’clock. I want to do some photography of him. He asked me to sit in the front room.

Seeing the condition of that room, I felt like taking out the camera. There were dozens of weapons lined up on a stand like the ones kept in a police armoury. A stout man was sitting on a chair outside the room and 4 to 6 people were walking around. In fact, I used to consider myself a very brave photo-journalist. But, don’t know why I didn’t dare to click this exclusive picture. The reason for this was that I was freelancing at that time. I didn’t have the backup of any organization behind me.

An hour passed while sitting in that room, but Ateeq did not come. The light was also gradually decreasing. I was getting irritated by this. Only then I saw that suddenly the movement of people in the house intensified. Mats started being spread in the hall. I saw that dates, different types of pakoras, cut fruits, vine syrup and many other types of syrups, curds, etc. were prepared in large numbers to break the fast. All this was preparation for Rosa Iftari.

Meanwhile, a convoy of vehicles came to Kothi and Atik got down from the car. I prepare my camera and come in front of him. He said to me, sorry Yadav ji got a little late. I told him that it was time to break your fast. Just give me 5 minutes. I’ll do my work and leave. On this, Atik said- Yadav ji, first you will have Iftari with me, after that there will be photography.

Ateeq went inside. I was feeling a bit uncomfortable breaking my fast sitting with his people. But for us journalists, it is usually a problem not to do on such an occasion. Atiq made me sit next to him. Ashraf was sitting opposite me in the front row. Some children were also sitting there, but I did not recognize them. There was time to break the fast, so I said I would take some pictures. After listening to me, Atiq again said – Friend Yadav ji, first break the fast and then pull it. I said this is the picture, let me draw it.

This picture is of June 27, 2016, when Ateeq was breaking fast at home. Photo: SK YADAV

I got up and started taking pictures. Atik said- stop and he started waiting for someone. Meanwhile, a handsome boy came and sat next to her. Ateeq gestured me to click a photo with it. It turned out that he was his eldest son Umar. Another small child was sitting next to Umar. I clicked some pictures from different angles and broke my fast that evening after eating dates. It didn’t take much time to break the fast and Ateeq got up and went to offer Namaz.

After some time, Atiq came back after offering Namaz and said – tell Yadav ji what to do. I asked her to walk to her drawing room. He said – friend, nowadays fasting is going on. Pull it here There were shelves in the small space. I said – Sir, it will not be fun here. Atiq said on this – whatever it is, pull it here.

I clicked some of his profile photos. Then started packing the camera. That’s why Atiq asked – do you live around here? I said – Yes, I live on Dr. Katju Road (now Colvin Road). He said – Yadav ji, if there is any need, tell me. I said – I will definitely tell. When I started walking, he put an envelope in my shirt pocket. Which I have mentioned above.

When Chand Baba publicly insulted Atiq…
SK Yadav told us another interesting anecdote about Atiq. He says that when I started journalism in 1984, there was a fear of Chand Baba in Prayagraj. This was the time when only a few people knew Atiq. Chand Baba’s house was hardly 1 kilometer away from my house. He lived in the Jama Masjid area near Kotwali. He had a pottery shop there.

There was a difference of heaven and earth between Chand Baba and Atiq. Chand Baba was a person who was less educated and got angry on every matter. His style of working was to intimidate people. Whereas, Atiq was of a calm nature.

The picture above is of Chandbaba, the first Bahubali of UP. Raju Naxalite had taught it to make bombs. Chandbaba was murdered in 1989. Atiq’s name came up in the murder.

It is about the year 1989. Chand Baba and Atiq stood against each other in the legislative elections. It was voting day. Hamidia Girls Inter College near my house was made a polling station. On that day, Chand Baba got votes cast in his favor by getting booth capturing done. When Atik came to know about this, he reached the college with the whole team.

When Atiq reached the polling booth, Chand Baba stopped him. Not allowed to enter. Chand Baba was so angry that he abused Atik on the spot. He even told Atiq to go away from here or else I will blow him to pieces by throwing bombs. This was the first such incident when Atiq was chased away by abusing someone publicly. Atiq had left there that day after drinking a sip of blood. However, Chand Baba was assassinated in the same year.

SK Yadav told all these things to Bhaskar reporter Devanshu Tiwari. Yadav is a senior faculty at the CMS i.e. Center of Media Studies, University of Allahabad.

Stayed in the executive room for 2200 rupees, ID was not given; Some fourth had booked the room

The SIT is interrogating the three shooters after the April 15 murder of mafia Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf. What was the activity of the shooters before committing the murder? When did he come to Prayagraj, where did he stay? What were you doing on the day of the massacre? Answers to many such questions are being sought. On 20 April, the shooters were interrogated for 8 hours. During this, he told that he had stayed in a hotel near platform number 1 of Prayagraj Junction.

Based on the location provided by the shooters, the SIT reached Hotel ‘Stay Inn’ on Saturday afternoon. We also reached there after the investigation officers had left. Read full news…

The mafia had arrived without being invited, became the chief guest; The principal came to know when the photo was published

All sons of Mafia Atiq studied at St. Joseph’s School in Prayagraj. From the school canteen to the playground, many stories of his robe are spread. Atiq himself had reached here 20 years back without being invited as the chief guest. Prizes were given to the children and the college administration came to know about it the other day.

This is the same school where four of its pass out students have been judges of the Supreme Court and 16 have been judges of the High Court. Ex Air Chief Marshal Anil Kumar Brown and country’s well-known lawyer Prashant Bhushan even studied from here. Read full news…

When the car went fast, the mafia said – I am a diabetic patient, drive slowly

Mafia Atiq Ahmed, accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, was produced in the court on Tuesday. It took 23 hours 45 minutes to complete the 1300 kilometer journey from Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj’s Naini Jail. This journey was not easy. Especially for the driver who was driving Atiq’s car. Media vehicles were continuously overtaking. The focus of the camera was directly on the driver. The cow that suddenly appeared in Shivpuri made the driver’s throat dry. To know the answers to all these questions, we spoke to the driver Parshuram over the phone. Read full news…