In a startling claim, the Uttar Pradesh Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dharmpal Singh on Saturday alleged that the Opposition is behind the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed as he was going to “reveal many secrets”.

“The truth is that the Opposition is behind the killing of Atiq Ahmed. After his arrest, he was going to reveal many secrets. That’s why the Opposition got him killed,” Dharmpal Singh said.

The mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed last week while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader’s murder, in February this year.

Earlier in the day, the police team reached the hotel for investigation, where Atiq Ahmed’s killers had stayed before the murder.

Earlier on Thursday, the Judicial committee constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government visited Prayagraj while the Special Investigation Team recreated the crime scene where gangsters Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead on April 15 while being taken to a hospital for a medical checkup.

Three friends of Lovelesh Tiwari, the main accused in the sensational killing of gangster turned politician and his brother were detained by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda.The SIT team has also reached Hamirpur and Kasganj to conduct further probe, the police said.