Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Former Indian politician and brother shot dead live on TV while in police custody

Former Indian politician and brother shot dead live on TV while in police custody

A former Indian lawmaker convicted of kidnapping was shot dead, along with his brother, while being escorted by police in northern India on Saturday.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf Ahmed, were under police escort for a medical check-up at a hospital on Saturday night when three men shot them from close range as they were speaking to reporters in Prayagraj city in Uttar Pradesh state.

Multiple videos of the shooting were shared widely across social media after it was initially broadcast live on local TV channels. The footage shows the brothers in handcuffs before a man pulled a gun close to Atiq’s head, with Ashraf also shot a split second later.

“According to the initial information, three people came in the guise of media persons and they tried to take (sound) bites,” Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma told reporters on Saturday.

“At that time they fired, and we have arrested three people, and Atiq and Ashraf died.”

The government of Uttar Pradesh, controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, formed a three-member judicial commission on Sunday to investigate the killings and submit a report in two months.

“Today there is a complete shutdown in Prayagraj and people are in a deep sense of fear,” social activist Irshad Ullah, who is based in the city, told Arab News.

Internet services and gatherings of more than four people were barred across the state after the attack.

“No one is safe now. If the state does not like you it can kill you at will — this is the message from this incident.”

Atiq Ahmed, 60, had a long stint both in politics and in the criminal world. He was a state lawmaker four times and had dozens of cases, including kidnapping, murder, and extortion, registered against him over the past two decades.

Ahmed had petitioned the Indian Supreme Court for protection two weeks earlier, saying there was a threat to his life from the police. His teenage son was shot dead by police on Thursday in what was described as a shootout.

“Crime has reached its peak in UP (Uttar Pradesh) and the morale of the criminals is high. When someone can be killed openly despite being surrounded by a security cordon, one can imagine the state of the general public. Due to this, an ambience of fear is being created among the public,” Akhilesh Yadav, chief of the opposition Samajwadi Party, said in a tweet.

Rakesh Tripathi, BJP spokesperson in Uttar Pradesh, said an investigation was underway.

“The incident in Prayagraj is unfortunate and police are investigating the matter. The accused are in police custody and we are investigating the whole affair,” Tripathi told Arab News.

Saturday’s killings have sparked concerns over India’s rule of law among human rights activists and members of civil society.

“Over a dozen bullets fired to kill gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother in the presence of the police and camera persons without any retaliatory fire from the police personnel present points to the worrying truth that justice by the judiciary has been done away with,” Suhas Chakma, director of Delhi-based Rights & Risks Analysis Group, told Arab News.

“How the police can be so lax knowing well that he was a high-profile convict? How can some three people come and kill him despite such a huge police presence?” Prof. Roop Rekha Verma, social activist and former professor at Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow University, told Arab News.

“My question is on the intention of the police and the government,” she added.

The killings, according to senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hedge, are “a total negation of the rule of law.

“The judiciary cannot look away or be seen as complicit in a cover-up. It must take a more proactive stance, asking the right questions and eliciting answers,” Hedge told Arab News.

Delhi-based political analyst Prof. Apoorvanand Jha, said the incident was a challenge for Indian democracy.

“This is an ominous sign for Indian democracy,” Jha told Arab News. “Atiq Ahmed approached the supreme court for protection. So now we will wait to see whether the apex court takes the suo moto cognizance of these killings and makes the Uttar Pradesh government accountable.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×