In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves across the state, former MP and MLA Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by two assailants posing as TV reporters while they were being escorted to a hospital in Prayagraj for a mandatory medical examination under heavy security cover on Saturday night.
The two shooters and an associate were taken into custody by police at the crime scene itself. They have been identified as Luvlesh Tiwari, Sunny, and Arun Maurya, though other names were also being bandied about. A police constable and a journalist injured in the attack were in hospital receiving medical attention.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who called a high-level meeting after the sensational killings, asked officials to set up a three-member judicial commission to probe the incident. Atiq was a former MP and MLA.
CrPC Section 144 has been clamped across the state and Rapid Action Force contingents have been moved in. The ACS (home) and the DGP have been instructed to rush to Prayagraj. Special DG (law and order) Prashant Kumar said a high alert has been issued across the state.
Atiq Ahmed was a notorious gangster who had a long and controversial career in politics. He was known for his criminal background and had been implicated in several cases of murder, extortion, and kidnapping. He was a member of the Samajwadi Party and had won elections from the Phulpur constituency in Prayagraj.
The killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf is a major blow to the Samajwadi Party, which had been trying to woo him back into the party fold. The incident has also raised questions about the security cover provided to high-profile prisoners and the need for greater vigilance in such cases.
The state government has promised to take strict action against the culprits and ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming days.
Author
-
by
-
