In a major breakthrough for Uttar Pradesh Police, a close aide of slain mafia brothers Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf was arrested from Delhi on Wednesday after months of being on the run from law enforcement. The accused, Afsar Ahmed, carried a ₹50,000 reward on his head, with several cases against him related to the criminal empire once run by the Ahmed brothers.
Police officials claimed Afsar had been hiding in the national capital since many weeks, often shifting locations. Finally, following a reliable input, on Tuesday night, a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force and Delhi Police arrested him following a coordinated raid in the Nand Nagri area. The accused was found living under an assumed identity.
A silent agent operating in a dismantled mafia organization
Police investigators call Afsar a “key facilitator” in the Atiq-Ashraf network. Although he remained away from the frontline operations that had brought infamy to the brothers, according to investigators, he was deeply involved with logistics, money collection, and communication for a number of their associates. Officers say his arrest marks an important step in taking down the last remnants of the criminal syndicate.
According to police sources, Afsar was in close contact with a number of jailed and absconding members of the group and looked after certain financial deals even after the death of Atiq and Ashraf last year. He is believed to have also provided shelter and support to other wanted associates across Uttar Pradesh.
Reward, surveillance and the operation that led to arrest
The Uttar Pradesh Police had declared a ₹50,000 reward for information on Afsar’s whereabouts. After months of little progress, recent intelligence input tipped that he had relocated from Meerut to Delhi and taken residence in the capital’s northeast district.
Officers immediately intensified surveillance, monitoring suspected hideouts and scanning CCTV footage. The decisive lead came from an informant who reported having seen a man resembling Afsar buying groceries in the dead of night-a small detail that helped narrow down his exact residence.
According to sources, during the raid, Afsar attempted to run away through a back exit but was overpowered within minutes. Even though no weapons were recovered from the site, police seized two mobile phones, identity documents with forged details, and a diary with what is believed to contain contacts of other criminal associates.
Cases registered and interrogation is underway
Aiding organized crime, extortion, and conspiracy are only a few of the many charges that have been brought against Afsar, officials confirmed. Presently, Afsar is being taken to Prayagraj for further interrogation, and during this interrogation, detailed questioning would be done, which can shed light on:
The remaining financial assets of the Atiq–Ashraf gang
The role of lesser-known associates who may still be active.
Possible arms and safe-house networks
Information about targets of extortion and illegal property deals
The police presumably think that he might also hold clues concerning restructuring attempts by the group after the deaths of the main leaders.
Why the arrest matters
The crackdown on the Atiq–Ashraf network has been a priority for Uttar Pradesh law enforcement since the brothers were killed in 2023 while in police custody; their vast operations–in real estate, extortion, gang violence, and political influence–had roots in the region that stretched several decades.
A senior STF officer said, “This arrest is not just symbolic. It helps us track the financial spine of the gang. People like Afsar kept the machinery running quietly in the background.”
His arrest is expected to yield more links and help the authorities further tighten the noose on the rest of the operatives who have fragmented and gone underground.
Delhi as a hideout hub
Police said that Delhi has emerged as a safe haven for many criminals trying to escape the police crackdown in the neighboring states, with its crowded population and anonymity. In the past one year, several gangsters, extortionists and fugitives of Uttar Pradesh-based gangs have been arrested from rented rooms or guesthouses in the capital.
They said coordination between state units would continue to ensure that the city is not turned into a safe haven for such fugitives.
Next Steps
He will also be produced before a local court in Uttar Pradesh shortly. The police are also cross-checking whether he had an active support network within Delhi, comprising landlords, contacts and financial handlers who may have knowingly assisted him. The investigation is expected to expand as interrogation proceeds and digital data from his seized phones is analyzed.
