A former Indian MP convicted of kidnapping and charged with murder was killed along with his brother in a dramatic attack live television coverage in northern India, authorities said on Sunday.
Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf they were escorted by police officers for a medical examination Saturday night when they were shot at by three men posing as journalists in Prayagraj, a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The assailants quickly formed themselves after the attack, with at least one shouting “Jai Shri Ram” (“Praise Lord Ram”), a slogan that has become rallying cry for Hindu nationalists in his campaign against Muslims.
Uttar Pradesh has been ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party, which also governs the country, since 2017. Since then, more than 180 people under prosecution in India’s most populous state have been killed in so-called ‘clashes with police “, which activists say are actually out-of-court settlements.
After the attack, state authorities banned gatherings of more than four people and stop access to the Internet and cell phone service in Prayagraj city. The government has also ordered an investigation into the case, to be led by a retired judge.
Police officer Ramit Sharma revealed that the attackers had arrived on motorcycles, posing as journalists.
“They approached Atiq and his brother under the guise of recording their statement and shot them at close range. Both were shot in the head. It all happened in seconds,” Sharma said.
Videos of the attack have become popular on social media. It was initially broadcast livewhen the brothers were speaking to the press on their way to the hospital.
The state police, meanwhile, are facing harsh criticism for the manner in which the murders of Ahmed and his brother, who were in their custody, were carried out.
The head of the state government of Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, he showed his concern for the killers’ freedom to take justice into their own hands, “undisturbed by the presence of the police and the media,” he said on Twitter.
Ahmed has accumulated a hundred criminal cases against him, including assault and murder, and his popularity reached notoriety in the 1990s, when he began a political career that led him to occupy a seat in the lower house of the Indian Parliament or Lok Sabha.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.