'Encounter hoga': Gangster-turned-politician Atiq’s ‘prophetic’ words, 19 years ago

LUCKNOW: “Encounter hoga. Ya police maari, ya koi apni biradari ka sirfira. Sadak ke kinare pade milab (I will be killed in an encounter by either police or someone from the criminals’ tribe) — slain don Atiq Ahmed had said way back in 2004 to this correspondent during his campaign trail for Lok Sabha election, which he had successfully contested from Phulpur constituency.
Although a dreaded name, Atiq used to talk candidly to local journalists in informal sittings at regular intervals, as a neta, who won assembly elections from Allahabad’s City West constituency five times.

In one such meeting with select scribes, when he was prodded on how he foresees his end, since he is a criminal, too, he had admitted candidly about his premonition.

“Sab ko pata hota hai anjaam kya hona hai. Kab tak taala ja sakta hai, yeh sab (contesting election) iski hi jaddojahad hai (We all know, as criminals, what will be our fate. Everyday is a struggle to escape this ordeal, and delay the inevitable), he had philosophised.

On being reminded that he was contesting election from a place (Phulpur parliamentary seat), which was once represented by India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, Atiq had replied, “Pandit ji ki tarah hum Naini jail me bhi rahe hain. Woh kitab likhe wahan, hume apni historysheet ki wajah se jana pada tha (Like Nehru, I have also been to Naini jail. He wrote books there, I went because of my history-sheet).
Watch Atiq Ahmed fears for his life, moves back to Prayagraj from Sabarmati jail