Prayagraj (UP)- In a dramatic turn of events, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by unidentified assailants while they were being escorted by the police to a hospital here on Saturday night.
Atiq, a former MP and his brother were gunned down two days after his teenage son was killed in an alleged encounter in Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh.
Atiq, who were under police escort and in handcuffs, was talking to reporters when gunmen shot him and his brother dead from point blank range.
A police officer said three persons had been arrested. Media reports showed gunmen throwing their weapons and raising hands in surrender before police took them into custody. There were no shots fired by police in defense, media reports said.
The shooting that occurred around 10 pm was caught on camera as media persons were following the duo. In the footage, shared widely on social media and TV channels, Atiq is asked whether he attended his son’s funeral.
His last words to camera are: “They did not take us, so we did not go.”
At least three persons, posing as media persons, were seen firing from a close range at Ahmad and his brother who fell to the ground.
The bullet-riddled bodies of Ahmad and Ashraf were taken away from the spot as tension gripped the area after the sensational killings. “We are looking into the incident. It is too early to say anything. We are yet to question the arrested men,” a police officer said.
Ahmad, a former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, and his brother Ashraf were brought here for a court hearing in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. Ahmad’s son Asad and one of his accomplices were killed in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13. Their last rites were performed earlier in the day.
Following Saturday night’s incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a judicial probe into the killings and banned large gatherings across Uttar Pradesh.
Experts have raised questions on how a man could be killed in front of the media and the police.
Last month Supreme Court declined to hear Atiq Ahmed’s petition in which he alleged there was a threat to his life from the police.
The murder of Umesh Pal, allegedly carried out by Atiq Ahmad and his henchmen in Prayagraj on February 24 has left behind a bloody trail of killings. The case may not have any convicts as all the six main accused have been killed.
It may be recalled that on the basis of the complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and nine others.
Atiq’s two sons, Umar and Ali, are currently incarcerated, while his two minor sons are being held in a Children’s Protection Home under close police supervision. Atiq’s wife, Shaista Parveen, who carries a reward of Rs. 50,000 on her head, is currently on the run. With inputs from PTI
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