Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, brother shot dead

PRAYAGRAJ (UP) — In a shocking incident, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj on Saturday night, in the presence of the police and in full glare of the media.

Atiq and his brother were shot when they were taken for a medical test to the Colvin hospital here. Both died on the spot.

According to reports, Atiq was shot in the head from point-blank range when the mediapersons were talking to him. Both the brothers were handcuffed when the incident took place.

All the three shooters have been arrested by the UP Police. They have been identified as Lavlesh Tiwari, Arun Maurya and Sunny.

The incident took place on the day Atiq’s son Asad was laid to rest in Prayagraj after being shot dead in an encounter in Jhansi on Thursday.

According to reports, the three youths had joined a group of journalists who were talking to Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf after the two stepped out of the hospital.

Even before Atiq could complete his answer, one of the assailants pointed a pistol at Atiq’s head and shot him while the other two opened fire at the brother.

After the brothers slumped to the ground, the assailants raised their hands and surrendered.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has summoned DGP R.K. Vishwakarma and other top police officials for an emergency meeting.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Prayagraj as the news of the twin murders spread. Additional forces are being rushed to the district where security has been beefed up.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the incident is the height of lawlessness in Uttar Pradesh.

“If someone can be killed in police custody, then what about the common man,” he asked in a tweet.

Atiq’s assailants belong to different UP cities

The three assailants, who killed gangster Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf, belong to three different districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Lovlesh Tiwari belongs to Banda, Sunny Singh belongs to Hamirpur and Arun Maurya lives in Kasganj.

Surprisingly, the families of all three men have disowned the assailants and said that they had already left their homes much before the incident.

All three have been booked and jailed for petty crimes in the past.

What is intriguing to the police is the fact that they have no answer for their motive for killing the two brothers.

The three assailants came to Prayagraj 48 hours before the incident and were staying in a hotel.

They have not divulged where they got the sophisticated weapons that were used to gun down Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf.

According to a police source, one of the three has said that they executed the crime because they wanted to make a name for themselves in the underworld. However, until other questions are answered, this theory will not hold water.

Rule of law should be honoured — Congress

New Delhi — After the gruesome murder of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother, the Congress said on Sunday the rule of law as laid down in the country’s Constitution is paramount.

“Criminals should be given the harshest punishment, but it should be under the law of the land. Subverting or violating the rule of law and judicial process for any political purpose is dangerous for our democracy. Whoever does this, or gives protection to those who do such acts, should also be held responsible and the law should be strictly enforced on them,” Said Jairam Ramesh, party General Secretary.

He said the collective endeavour should be there to ensure that the judicial system and rule of law is at all times honoured in letter and spirit.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a three-member judicial commission that will probe the murders of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in presence of the police and the media on Saturday night.

The state has been put on high alert and senior officials.

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