Uttar Pradesh minister and BJP leader Suresh Kumar Khanna said on Sunday that there is no need for any comment on the killings of gangster Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf. However, the minister did say that when crime and injustice reach their peak, such things happen as the decision of nature. Atiq Ahmad, a gangster-turned-politician, and his brother Ashraf were shot dead from close range on Saturday while being escorted by police to a medical college in Prayagraj. According to a senior police officer, three people have been arrested. Just two days ago, Atiq Ahmad's son was killed in a police encounter in Jhansi.
In a video posted by the news agency ANI, the minister can also be seen saying that he will be better able to say anything once all relevant information has been made public. However, he stated that based on what he has seen on television, the killing of the gangster appears to be a natural decision.
Both were a few yards from the hospital's entrance when reporters gathered to question them. A gunman shot Atiq as he was about to respond to a question. Another bullet pierced Ashraf's neck from the left side at the same time, and both brothers slumped to the ground. As the shooters continued to fire, a police officer was also shot.
As tension gripped the area, the bullet-riddled bodies of Ahmad and Ashraf were taken away. They were both brought to the state capital for a court hearing in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case in 2005.
READ | Cases Against Atiq Ahmad, Ashraf And Family, And Their Links To Umesh Pal, Raju Pal Murders
The two shooters surrendered to the police officers present seconds after firing. Another young man carrying a bag on his back also surrendered. Later, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma stated that the gunmen disguised themselves as mediapersons.
Ahmad's 19-year-old son Asad and an accomplice, Ghulam, were killed in a police encounter on April 13 in Jhansi.
Atiq and his family had repeatedly sought court protection, claiming that they faced threats and that their lives were in danger. Atiq had applied to the Supreme Court for protection in custody in the Umesh Pal murder case a month before his son Asad and his aide were killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday.