Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has launched a large-scale search operation to locate Shaista Parveen, the wife of the deceased gangster Atiq Ahmed.

Even after her husband was shot dead on April 15, she continues to remain at large.

In addition to Shaista, three other individuals suspected of being involved in the murder of Umesh Pal, a crucial witness in the 2005 MLA Raju Pal murder case, are also on the run.

As per police sources, cops are actively searching for Shaista Parveen in various locations including Greater Noida, Meerut, Delhi, Okhla and West Bengal.

The police have identified over 20 individuals who are suspected of aiding her, including a female doctor and several of Shaista's relatives.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has established a three-member judicial committee to probe the murder of Atiq Ahmed, amidst intense criticism of the incident. The state police, which has also faced harsh criticism, will also investigate the case.

The reports are due in two months’ time.

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an independent inquiry into 183 encounters that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh in the past six years, including the recent killings of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his son Asad.

The plea also challenges the appointment of an inquiry committee by the UP government, which has been criticised for its handling of the case.

In the wake of the killings, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to investigate the matter.

On Monday, the three killers of Atiq and Ashraf were transferred from the Prayagraj Central Prison to a jail in Pratapgarh, said a report in the media.

The Director General of Police in Uttar Pradesh, RK Vishwakarma, announced that in addition to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), a three-member team of supervisors has been formed to ensure that the quality of and that actions are taken within a specific time frame.