Atiq Ahmed, the former MP, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead on camera while they were being taken for a medical check-up in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad on Saturday.
Atiq Ahmed was seen in a television footage talking to reporters when at least two men with pistols opened fire on them. Three people have been arrested, the police said. The shooters came disguised as reporters, the police said.
The assailants were shouting Jai Shri Ram, a Hindutva war cry.
Two days before, his son, 19-year-old Asad Ahmed and his aide Ghulam were killed in an alleged encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force.
Asad Ahmed was laid to rest earlier on Saturday.
Atiq and his family members have been seeking court protection on multiple occasions, claiming that they are facing threats and their lives are at risk. Furthermore, Atiq has approached the Supreme Court to ensure his safety while in custody for the Umesh Pal murder case.
Atiq and two others were sentenced to life imprisonment and Ashraf was acquitted in this case last month.
Reacting to the incident, former UP chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet: “Crime has reached its peak in UP and the morale of the criminals is high. When someone can be killed by firing openly amidst the security cordon of the police, then what about the safety of the general public. Due to this, an atmosphere of fear is being created among the public, it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a high-level probe into the shooting incident. The Chief Minister has also formed a three-member judicial commission to investigate the incident.
Atiq Ahmed who was a Samajwadi Party MP was brought to UP from a jail in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. He had alleged he would be killed in an encounter and requested the authorities to spare his family.
“Atiq and his brother were killed while in police custody and were handcuffed. Slogans of JSR were also raised. Their murder is a perfect example of Yogi’s big failure of law and order. Those celebrating encounter-raj are equally responsible for this murder,” AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted.
