"He was deeply religious, went for darshans": Atiq killer Lovelesh Tiwari's mother

Banda (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 16 : A day after gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj in full media glare, the mother of one of the assailants, Lovelesh Tiwari, on Sunday said her son had a religious side to him.

Speaking to , Asha (mother of the arrested accused Lovelesh) said, "Pata nahi uske naseeb mein kya likha tha (Don't know what was written in his destiny)."

"He was deeply religious and would visit temples regularly for darshans. We have not talked to him since he left the house. His phone was also switched off," his mother added, turning emotional.

Earlier, on Sunday, Lovelesh's father said his son was jobless and a drug addict.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Yagya Tiwari (father of Lovelesh, one of the arrested shooters) said, "He is my son. We saw the incident on TV. We are not aware of the actions of Lovelesh nor do we have anything to do with this. He never lived here and neither was he involved in our family affairs. He did not tell us anything. He came here five to six days ago. We have not been on talking terms with him for years. There is already a case registered against him. He was jailed in that case."

"He doesn't work. He was a drug addict. We have four children. We have nothing to say about this," Yagya Tiwari added.

Days after Atiq Ahmed's son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi, the mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Atiq was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 and also in the subsequent killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP's leader's murder, in February this year.

All three assailants were arrested, informed police after Atiq and his brother were shot dead.

"Three people have been arrested and they are being questioned. A journalist was also injured as he fell down and a constable sustained a bullet injury," Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said earlier.