'Killing Will Continue Unless...': Oppn Demands SC-Monitored Probe In Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf's Murder

Several Opposition leaders such as Owaisi, Mayawati, Kapil Sibal, and more requested Supreme Court to take suo moto cognisance of the killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf. They demand a fresh probe team.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi appealed to the Supreme Court, on Sunday, to take suo moto cognisance of the killing of former MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Uttar Pradesh and constitute an investigation team. The Hyderabad MP said officials from Uttar Pradesh should not be part of the investigation team to ensure a fair probe. Congress leader Kamal Nath and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati have also demanded a Supreme Court-monited probe.

While speaking to the media, Owaisi said that a thorough and time-bound investigation is required to bring out facts such as who gave weapons to the killers, those who sent them, and how the assailants reached there, news agency IANS reported.

"Unless this is done, the killings will continue," he said.

The AIMIM president demanded that all the police officers, who were escorting Atiq Ahmed and his brother, should be dismissed from service under Article 311 of the Constitution.

Owaisi said that the former MP had gone to the Supreme Court saying he feared for his life and the court had said that when he was in judicial custody it was the responsibility of the state to protect him.

He remarked that those in power have no compassion or humanity and emanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"The chief minister should take the responsibility for this. He had said in the state Assembly 'Mitti mein miladenge'. Is this the language the chief minister of the biggest state of the country should use," he asked, as quoted by IANS.

The MP claimed the incident also shows growing radicalisation of the majority community. "Just see the way they used their weapons. They raised religious slogans. Are they not terrorists?" he asked.

Owaisi termed as "vultures" those who celebrated the killings by sitting in TV studios.

Atiq Ahmed & Ashraf Killed: Mayawati, Kamal Nath On SC-Monitored Probe

Similarly, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that the murder of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf was just as heinous as the murder of Umesh Pal. 

“Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were brought from Bareilly jail, were shot dead openly in police custody in Prayagraj last night, just like the heinous murder of Umesh Pal. raises serious question marks”, she tweeted in Hindi. She further questioned whether it is appropriate for UP to become an encounter state from being a rule-by-rule state. 

She tweeted that it “would be better if the Honourable Supreme Court itself takes appropriate action after taking cognizance of this very serious and very worrying incident which has been discussed all over the country”.

“Anyway, instead of "Rule of law by law" in Uttar Pradesh, now how appropriate is it to become an encounter state? Something to think about”, she added.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath while speaking to the media said that it is sad that there were open murders, it points to the condition of the law and political condition in Uttar Pradesh and the country. "Atiq and Ashraf’s murders are something you and I should think about, this is something our society should think about. We need to contemplate where our Uttar Pradesh and our country are being pulled towards. This situation is very unfortunate."

"The Supreme Court should take cognisance of this matter and order an inquiry”, Kamal Nath said. 

Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also said that there have been two murders. "One of Atik and his brother, the other of the law. Supreme Court should take cognisance".