New Delhi: Days after son Asad’s encounter, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by men posing as journalists while police personnel were escorting them for a medical checkup in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Saturday. Atiq and Ashraf, were both in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews around 10 pm. The last rites of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asadwho was gunned down in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13, were performed in Prayagraj just hours before the shooting.
Briefing reporters about Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf’s killings, Prayagraj’s Police Commissioner said the three assailants, who were arrested immediately after the incident, had joined the group of media persons who were trying to get sound bites from the jailed brothers.
“In accordance with a mandatory legal requirement, Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were brought to the hospital for a medical examination. According to preliminary information, three men posing as journalists approached them and opened fire. Ahmed and Ashraf were killed in the attack. The attackers have been held and are being questioned,” Ramit Sharma said.
Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, and his brother were brought to Prayagraj for a court hearing in connection with this year’s Umesh Pal murder case and were remanded in police custody.
Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal in 2005, was shot dead outside his Dhoomanganj residence in Prayagraj on February 24.
Based on a complaint lodged by his wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered on February 25 against Atiq Ahmed, and his brother Ashraf.
Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen, his two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others were also booked.
Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Killed On Camera At Point Blank Range
Video footage showed a man thrusting a gun at Atiq Ahmed’s head as he talks to reporters. The footage also showed the three shooters firing at the brothers even after they had fallen.
In the incident, Police constable Man Singh was also injured as a bullet hit his arm, while a journalist was hurt after he fell during the commotion that followed the shooting.
The bullet-riddled bodies of Ahmed and Ashraf were taken away from the spot as tension gripped the area after the sensational killings.
3-Member Judicial Commission To Probe Killing Of Atiq Ahmed
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday ordered a high-level probe into the sensational killings of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in all districts of Uttar Pradesh to maintain law and order, they said.
“The chief minister has constituted a three-member judicial commission to probe the killing of Ahmed and Ashraf,” Special DG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said.
After the Prayagraj incident, the chief minister convened a high-level meeting in Lucknow and ordered the probe, Kumar said.
“Prohibitory orders have been issued in all districts of the state,” Director Information Shishir said.
Opposition Attacks Yogi Adityanath Govt After Atiq Ahmed Shot Dead
Opposition leaders questioned the law and order in Uttar Pradesh and demanded that the Yogi Adityanath government be dismissed after Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said that crime has reached its peak in Uttar Pradesh and criminals are unfazed.
Reacting to the incident, Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi, “Crime has reached its peak in Uttar Pradesh and the criminals are unfazed. When someone can be shot dead amidst a police cordon, then what about the safety of the general public? An atmosphere of fear is being created among the public due to this and it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere.”
Crime has reached its peak in UP and the morale of the criminals is high. When someone can be killed by firing openly amidst the security cordon of the police, then what about the safety of the general public. Due to this, an atmosphere of fear is being created among the public, it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere.
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) April 15, 2023
BSP MP from Amroha Danish Ali said the “cold-blooded” murder of Ahmed and his brother is the “height of anarchy” in Uttar Pradesh.
“This can’t happen without a go-ahead from the top. In any other democracy the state government must have been dismissed for such a heinous crime against the rule of law,” he said.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary asked if ‘jungle raj’ prevails in the state.
“Nobody is sympathising with Atiq Ahmed because a criminal should be punished. But anyone who will see this video will question if we are a democracy. Every criminal has the right to be heard in court and be convicted there. But you can see they were killed in police custody in the open,” he said.
He further said that Yogi Adityanath should answer what kind of law and order he has established in the state.
“Is this not jungle raj and a ground to call for emergency rule in UP?”, Chaudhary said.