Khalid Azim, also known as Ashraf (died 15 April 2023), was an Indian politician who had a criminal background. He served as a Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Prayagraj West constituency. He faced 54 criminal cases, including murder, threats, extortion, abduction, and land grabbing offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.[1]
Khalid Azim | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 2005–2007 | |
| Preceded by | Raju Pal |
| Succeeded by | Pooja Pal |
| Constituency | Prayagraj West |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 15 April 2023 Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Manner of death | Assassination |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Samajwadi Party |
| Relations | Atiq Ahmad (brother) |
| Children | 4 (3 daughters, 1 son) |
| Alma mater | Ewing Christian College |
He was the brother of Atiq Ahmad, a gangster turned politician who also served as a parliamentarian. He was a member of Atiq Ahmad's IS-227 gang and was considered to be Ahmad's right-hand man by police records.[1]
Political career
editKhalid Azim, who was affiliated with the Samajwadi Party, contested the 2005 legislative by-election for the Prayagraj West constituency. The seat had become vacant when his brother Atiq Ahmed was elected as a Member of Parliament from Phulpur. However, Khalid Azim was defeated by Raju Pal from the Bahujan Samaj Party. Following Raju Pal's murder on 25 January 2005,[2] a by-election was held, and he won the election from Prayagraj West constituency.
He contested the 2007 UP legislative elections but was defeated by Raju Pal's widow, Pooja Pal.[3][4] Khalid Azim and his elder brother Atiq were the prime accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.[5][1]
Criminal cases and controversies
editIn 1992, the first case was registered against him, at Prayagraj's Mutthiganj police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 147, 148, 149, 364, 504, and 506, as well as the 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act. It was alleged that he had kidnapped and physically assaulted a youth after an altercation. At the time of the incident, he was reportedly pursuing a degree at Ewing Christian College in Allahabad.[1] Later, cases were registered against him in different districts of Uttar Pradesh in the years 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.[6]
In January 2005, Khalid Azim was named as a prime suspect in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.[7]
In January 2007, his name surfaced in the abduction and gang rape case of two minor girl students from a Madarsa in the Kareli area.[8]
Personal life
editKhalid Azim was married to Zainab Ruby and had four children, including three daughters and one son.[1]
Murder
editOn 15 April 2023, Khalid Azim and his brother Atiq Ahmed were being escorted by Uttar Pradesh Police for a court-ordered medical checkup in Prayagraj when they were attacked in front of media cameras, shot at point-blank range and killed by three men who had posed as media personnel. [9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Lived & died in brother Atiq's shadow, Ashraf led a life of crime". Hindustan Times. 19 April 2023.
- ^ Chakraborty, Tapas (3 November 2005). "Allahabad murder fuels caste war fears". Telegraph India.
- ^ "पंक्चर बनाने वाले की बेटी हैं MLA पूजा पाल, 9 दिन में हो गई थीं विधवा" (in Hindi). Dainik Bhaskar.
- ^ "Allahabad West Uttar pradesh Assembly Election 2007". Latestly.com. 2007.
- ^ "BSP MLA murder case: Charges framed against ex-MLA Khalid Azim, five others". India Today. 1 October 2022.
- ^ Dixit, Kapil (3 July 2020). "Former Samajwadi Party MLA Khalid Azim arrested in UP's Prayagraj". Times of India.
- ^ Singh, BK (1 January 2006). "Has the BSP forgotten Pal murder case?". Hindustan Times.
- ^ Fredrick, Oliver; Misra, Apoorva (29 April 2023). "Decoding 2007 'Madarsa Kand' in Prayagraj That Proved to be Political Death Knell for Atiq Ahmed, Brother". News 18.
- ^ "Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf killed in front of cops by shooters posing as journos, high alert across UP". India Today. 16 April 2023.