Atiq Ahmed could not digest the defeat since it came as a challenge to his own fiefdom. The electoral tussle turned into political rivalry and on January 25, 2005, a day before Republic Day, when the BSP MLA was leaving for his home from Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital, a car overtook his SUV in the Sulem Sarai area of the city and Raju Pal was shot dead by assailants who heavily opened fire on his car.
