Was Atiq Ahmed linked to Pakistan’s ISI? Here’s what we know

Uttar Pradesh based gangster Atiq Ahmed was said to have had connections with operatives linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI.

Atiq Ahmed: With Dhurandhar 2 the Revenge now out in cinemas, the film’s depiction of slain mafia don Atiq Ahmed and his alleged links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has sparked renewed discussion about claims made during investigations into his criminal network. The film portrays Ahmed procuring AK-47 rifles through ISI channels, allegedly facilitated by Baloch mafia networks. While dramatized for cinema, the narrative echoes allegations that surfaced in official records before Ahmed’s death. Here are all the details you need to know about Atiq Ahmed‘s alleged link with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Was Atiq Ahmed’s linked with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)?

Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh has said there should be little doubt about such links. According to him, when Ahmed was alive, his gang was listed as IS-277 (Interstate-277). Singh also referred to confessional statements in which Ahmed allegedly admitted that weapons- including .45-calibre pistols, AK-47 rifles and RDX- were brought to him via drones from Pakistan that first reached Punjab. Through his contacts, Ahmed was also said to have had connections with operatives linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI.

“On the portrayal of Mafia Don Atiq Ahmed’s direct connection to ISI in the movie Dhurandhar 2, former DGP Vikram Singh says, “There should be no doubt about this. When Atiq Ahmed was alive, his gang was listed as IS-277 (Interstate-277). In his confessional statements, he admitted that weapons—including .45 caliber pistols, AK-47s, and RDX—were brought to him via drones from Pakistan and reached Punjab. Through his contacts, he also had connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI…”, Vikram Singh was quoted as saying by an IANS report.

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: On the portrayal of Mafia Don Atiq Ahmed’s direct connection to ISI in the movie Dhurandhar 2, former DGP Vikram Singh says, “There should be no doubt about this. When Atiq Ahmed was alive, his gang was listed as IS-277 (Interstate-277). In his… pic.twitter.com/goQywlimpx
— IANS (@ians_india) March 21, 2026

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What are the allegations against Atiq Ahmed?

Atiq Ahmed was killed on 15 April 2023. Fifteen days earlier, Prayagraj Police filed a chargesheet in the Umesh Pal murder case, naming Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed in an arms-trafficking investigation, a report by Dainik Bhaskar said.

According to the chargesheet quoted by various reports, Ahmed claimed he had extensive access to weapons and acknowledged links with ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. Investigators alleged that weapons were airdropped via drones in Punjab and routed through local agents to Ahmed’s network, with some consignments also reaching militants in Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, it can be said that the allegations against Atiq Ahmed, as shown in the movie Dhurandhar 2 are somewhat true.

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