Indian Gangster Turned Politician Shot Dead on Live Television (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead while being taken for medical in Prayagraj on Saturday night.
Both men were approached by camera crews, and police say that the gunmen who killed them were pretending to be journalists.
Three people were arrested at the scene, and at least one of them shouted "Jai Shri Ram" or "Hail Lord Ram," which has become a rallying cry for Hindu nationalists in their anti-Muslim campaign. The gunmen pretended to film the brothers and then shot them at close range in the head.
"It all happened in seconds," said police officer Ramit Sharma. A police officer and a news reporter were also wounded.
Last week, Atiq Ahmad's son and another man were killed by police in what was described as a shootout. Ahmad, 60, was imprisoned in 2019 after being convicted of kidnapping.
The killings have been criticized by opposition politicians who claim that Uttar Pradesh's government is soft on crime.
Akhilesh Yadav, a politician, tweeted, "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."
