The three shooters involved in the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj said that they wanted to kill them "to become popular", the First Information Report (FIR) stated. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night while police personnel was escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup.


The brothers, both jailed in Prayagraj, were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews around 10 pm. The assailants were caught on the spot.




"We wanted to kill gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf to become popular," said the three shooters involved in the killing of Atiq-Ashraf in Prayagraj yesterday, to police during interrogation, as mentioned in the FIR, news agency ANI reported.



"After getting the info that Atiq and Ashraf have been taken into police custody, we posed as journalists and started living among the local journalists and were planning to kill both of them," the three shooters told the police during interrogation, as mentioned in the FIR. 

 

According to sources, the attackers have said that they have no remorse for their actions. They were ready to accept a death sentence for their crime. They feel whatever they did was right. "All limits were crossed. It was unbearable," they said, as per the sources. The attackers are yet to reveal who sanction the murder.


Sources said that during the interrogation, all three assailants said that Atiq and Ashraf have been killing their innocent brothers. As per sources, the three shooters tried to give their crime a religious angle.


"They said that we have done the work of dharma, have put an end to injustice," sources said. "We have no complaints. Even if we are hanged, we will go to the gallows laughing. We have finished our job," sources quoted the shooters as saying.


All three said they would die for their actions without any remorse, ABP News sources revealed.


MORE ON IT: Atiq, Ashraf Ahmed Shot Dead: Assailant Showed No Remorse, Ready To Accept Death Sentence


Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Shot Dead: Section 144 Imposed In Prayagraj


Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Ramit Sharma said the three assailants, who were arrested immediately after the incident, had joined the group of media persons who were trying to get sound bites from Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf.


Special DG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said the three assailants were arrested from the spot and a detailed probe is on in the matter.


This brazen killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother has forced the Uttar Pradesh government to take drastic steps with prohibitory orders under section 144 has been imposed in all the districts.


Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has formed a three-member judicial commission to probe the killing of Ahmad and his brother.