Saturday, 06 July 2024
Saturday, 06 July 2024
Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad (60) and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college here for a checkup.
The brothers, both jailed in Prayagraj, were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews around 10 pm. The horrifying visuals were circulated widely on social media platforms and television channels.
Briefing reporters about the incident, Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Ramit Sharma said the three assailants, who were arrested immediately after the incident, had joined the group of mediapersons who were trying to get sound bites from Ahmad and Ashraf.
"In accordance with a mandatory legal requirement, Atiq Ahmad 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. Ahmad and Ashraf were killed in the attack. The attackers have been held and are being questioned," Sharma said.
Police constable Man Singh was injured in the incident as a bullet hit his arm, the officer said, adding that a journalist was also hurt after he fell during the commotion that followed the shooting.
Video footage showed a man thrusting a gun at Ahmad's head as he talks to reporters and the former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP collapsing.
Following the incident, prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in all districts of Uttar Pradesh and internet services remain shut in Prayagraj district as part of the security measures.
"We are waiting for the directives from the administration (to begin the post-mortem). At present, the bodies are kept in the mortuary. They were brought here last night," an official requesting anonymity told PTI.
Security personnel being deployed in an area in view of Section 144 imposition in Uttar Pradesh after mafioso-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim aka Ashraf were shot dead by unknown assailants, in Prayagraj.
The three men who carried out the attack on the gangsters Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf while posing as media persons told police they did this to make a name for themselves in the world of crime.
Tight security arrangements following the killing of gangster-turned politician Atiq and his Ashraf by three assailants, in Varanasi.
The names of at least two of them already figure in the records of police stations in the state. But for nothing as audacious as the almost point-blank shooting of the two brothers as they were being escorted into a Prayagraj hospital Saturday night for a medical check-up, while the cameras rolled.
Police personnel stand guard as security has been beefed up outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.
"Jungle raj" and "mafia raj" were some of the words used to describe Uttar Pradesh and even India by opposition leaders as they hit out at the BJP government over the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother in front of policemen and media in Prayagraj district.
