LUCKNOW: The Asad-Ghulam encounter in Jhansi was not a matter of chance but the result of meticulous planning after the special task force got specific inputs and then joined the dots.
Jhansi was already on the STF radar as it came to know that a hideout of Atiq Ahmed's aide and Umesh Pal murder accused, Guddu Muslim, was near the forest area leading to Parichha power plant. It transpires now that the hideout was just a kilometer from the encounter site.
Another Jhansi connection popped up when an alert was issued by the intel agencies about a possible "ambush" on the cavalcade of Atiq Ahmed near Jhansi while he was being carried to Prayagraj last week.
Senior officials including Special DG (law and order), Prashant Kumar, prepared a special team for the "Operation Jhansi" which included cops from the STF as well as the district police.
"Soon after the alert, we were monitoring the movement of Atiq’s cavalcade and the passage through which he would be brought to Prayagraj," says Prashant Kumar.
Another senior official privy to the probe said that the tem had done meticulous planning in advance and were ready for any eventuality, knowing that the Atiq gang never hesitates from using the full force of fire power.
"As a ploy to divert their attention, heavy force was deployed near Jhansi border from April 11 itself when he was being brought to Prayagraj while a special police team in civvies was surveying the area near Guddu's hideout," said another officer.
With surveillance and technical assistance from headquarters, a small team was stationed secretly near the area of Parichha power plant. It was headed by a DIG-rank officer who has had a stint with the STF in the past and also done multiple operations against criminals in the area.
"On April 12, night activity at the hideout of Guddu Muslim was witnessed which alerted us and teams were stationed near the four routes," said the officer.
Thereafter, one team wearing bullet proof jackets was assigned for any eventuality to take whatever comes head on and another was surveying possible passages of escape to other districts and conducting a checking drive.
"By Thursday morning, our drive intensified and we spotted two men on bikes racing away who, when asked to stop, shot at the police team. In retaliation the two were killed in exchange of fire," says Kumar.
