In a shocking incident that has left the country in shock, gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in the presence of police and media in Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place in Prayagraj when the brothers were being taken for a hospital check-up and were surrounded by several policemen and reporters.
As captured in a video that has gone viral on social media, a hand appeared out of nowhere and shot the two men in the head. As the mediapersons were covering the duo, three attackers posing as media men were clearly seen firing while shouting “Jai Shree Ram” slogans. The men, who were handcuffed, collapsed right there, leaving everyone around them stunned. The three attackers were immediately caught and overpowered by the police.
The suspects have been identified as Luvlesh Tiwari, Sunny and Arun Maurya. They are under police custody and are being interrogated, said media reports.
The murder comes just days after Atiq Ahmed’s son was killed in a police encounter, adding to the already high tension in the area. In response to the incident, the Uttar Pradesh government has imposed Section 144 in all 75 districts of the state, prohibiting the gathering of four or more people in public places.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also constituted a three-member judicial panel to investigate the matter and ordered district police officers to organise flag marches in their respective districts to maintain law and order. Additionally, senior police officers have asked the state police social media cell to monitor online posts related to the incident and warned of strict action against people posting objectionable content.
The incident has sparked outrage across the country, with many questioning the level of security provided to high-profile prisoners and the need for greater vigilance. The government has assured the public of a fair and thorough investigation into the matter.
(Inputs from various reports)
The Chenab Times News Desk