Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed was shockingly shot dead on camera outside a hospital in Uttar Pradesh on April 15th. An autopsy report revealed that Ahmed was shot at least nine times. And five bullets were found in the body of his brother, Ashraf Ahmed, who was also killed in the attack.
The post-mortem examination showed that Atiq Ahmed was shot once in the head and eight times in his chest and back. Ashraf Ahmed had five bullet injuries, one on his face and four on his back. A team of five doctors conducted the autopsy, and the proceedings were recorded to ensure a proper investigation.
Ahmed, who faced over 100 criminal cases and was the prime accused in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, had been in the news since February when a lawyer and a witness in Raju Pal’s murder case was killed. Ahmed was also named an accused in the lawyer’s murder. He had been in a Gujarat prison since 2019, where he was transferred after being accused of kidnapping a businessman.
Over the past few months, Ahmed had been brought to Prayagraj for court hearings and then taken back to Gujarat. His 19-year-old son, Asad, who was also an accused in the lawyer’s murder case, was killed in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on April 13th.
Ahmed had repeatedly claimed that the Uttar Pradesh police were planning to kill him in a staged encounter. Ironically, he was speaking to the media when his killers, disguised as journalists, opened fire.
The incident has raised concerns about prisoner security and police response in Uttar Pradesh. And the state government is facing criticism over the shooting. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a high-level investigation. And a three-member Special Investigation Team has been formed to probe the killings.
The killing of Ahmed highlights the need for a more effective and impartial criminal justice system in India. The incident has sparked discussions on the importance of law enforcement that can bring criminals to justice while protecting citizens’ rights.
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