Atiq Ahmed’s cop convoy takes 9th stop in Jhansi, family fears ‘encounter’

• Earlier in the morning, the convoy took a halt in Madhya Pradesh' Shivpuri
• Ahmed has alleged that a plot is being hatched to kill him under the guise of following court orders
• The former Samajwadi Party MP has been named in over 100 criminal cases

The UP police convoy that was taking gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj from Gujarat's Sabarmati jail halted at the Jhansi police line for the ninth time on Monday morning, with his family members claiming his life was in danger amid fears of "meeting" according to the report.

The security convoy, which left Gujarat on Sunday, is expected to reach Prayagraj in the evening. Ahmed is produced before the MP MLA court in Prayagraj on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ahmed's family members expressed fear and claimed that he may be killed in an encounter before the convoy reaches its destination, the report said.

“My brother's fear is correct. We suspect the police and STF of the encounter. We have faith in the Chief Minister, he will provide us with justice,” Ayesha was quoted as saying. Earlier, Ahmed was seen getting out of a police van during a stop in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, but did not speak when reporters tried to question him.

His convoy crossed the suspension bridge in Rajasthan's Kota late on Sunday night. The prime accused in the Umesh Pal murder case is taken by road to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh for a court hearing. Atiq Ahmed is scheduled to arrive in Prayagraj on Monday evening. His convoy, which left Sabarmati on Sunday evening, has made eight halts so far.

On Sunday, Atiq expressed fear that he would be "murdered" while being taken to Prayagraj by the Uttar Pradesh Police from the Sabarmati Central Jail. As the former Samajwadi Party MP came out of jail, he said a plot was being hatched to kill him under the guise of following court orders.

"Hatya, hatya (murder, murder)," Ahmed said on Sunday. Asked if he feared for his life, Ahmed said, "program mujhe inka maloom hai…hatya karna chahte hain (I know their intentions…they want to kill me)". He also claimed that his appearance in the Prayagraj court was a legitimate reason why the police "murdered" him.

"Court ke kandhe pe rakh ke maarna chahte hain (They want to kill me on the pretext of a court hearing)," he said. The UP police are also preparing to bring Ahmed's brother Ashraf to Prayagraj for a hearing from Bareilly jail around 8 am.

Ahmed will be produced before the court on March 28 when he will pass the order in the case of the kidnapping and murder of Umesh Pal, in which he is the main accused. He was named in more than 100 other criminal cases. Ahmed was transferred to the Sabarmati Central Jail in June 2019 on the orders of the Supreme Court after he was accused of masterminding the kidnapping and assault of businessman Mohit Jaiswal while he was lodged in the UP jail.