“We wanted to kill Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf to become popular”: Killers

On Sunday, the three assailants who were arrested after shooting dead gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj confessed to their crime, saying they did it to “become popular.”

Atiq Ahmed and his brother were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, just days after their son, Asad, was killed in an encounter in Jhansi.

“We wanted to kill Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf with the aim of completely wiping off the Atiq-Ashraf gang and making a name for ourselves,” the FIR quoted the arrested assailants as telling the police.

“The moment we received an update about Atiq and Ashraf being taken into police custody, we planned to kill them by posing as local journalists and blending with the crowd,” the FIR stated further.

All three attackers were apprehended at the scene after voluntarily surrendering. They are being questioned by police at the moment.

Following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh Police imposed Section 144 across the state, and security was increased at key public installations and sensitive areas. Atiq Ahmed was charged with the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, as well as the murder of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of the BSP leader, in February of this year.

All three assailants were apprehended, police said in a hurried press conference on Saturday night, after a gangster-turned-politician and his brother were shot dead in full public view.

“Three people have been arrested and are being questioned. A journalist was also injured as he fell down and a constable sustained a bullet injury,” Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma said.