Mafia-turned-politician, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj on April 15. Now 2 Special Investigation Teams (SITs) have been formed to look into the killings by the Uttar Pradesh Police. One three-membered SIT, headed by Additional Director General Prayagraj zone Bhanu Bhaskar, including Commissioner of Police Prayagraj and Director Forensic Science Laboratory, has been formed by DGP RK Vishwakarma.
The second three-membered SIT that has been formed by the Prayagraj Police is slated to look into the murder case registered at Shahganj police station. According to the directions provided in response to numerous petitions filed in the Supreme Court and the High Court, the teams are instructed to submit investigative findings and affidavits in a timely manner. As per the reports, a detailed investigation of the entire incident will be included in the reports.
Two SITs have been constituted to investigate the killings of gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj, UP
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2023
A three-member SIT, headed by ADG Prayagraj zone Bhanu Bhaskar, including CP Prayagraj and Director FSL has been formed by DGP RK… pic.twitter.com/sbGje6Nj8I
Atiq Ahmad and his brother were shot dead by three gunmen who pretended to be journalists on Saturday night as the accused were being led by police officers for a medical examination in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Just hours prior to the shooting, last rites of Ahmed’s son Asad, who died in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13 were conducted. Ahmed and Ashraf were both speaking to a large group of media persons when they were shot dead.
In the meanwhile, an appeal has been made to the Supreme Court seeking a direction to set up an expert committee to examine the deaths under the leadership of a former judge of the Supreme Court. On Sunday, attorney Vishal Tiwari filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking for the creation of an impartial expert committee and for an investigation of the 183 encounters that have occurred in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.
The petitioner emphasized that “such actions by police are a severe threat to democracy and the rule of law and lead to a police state” while also calling for an investigation into the murders of Ahmed and his brother.
