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Former Indian lawmaker and his brother, both serving time in prison, were slain on live TV, while in police custody

Atiq Ahmed, 60, was assassinated on Saturday April, 16, in the northern state of Utter Pradesh, on his way to a court mandated hospital visit

In dramatic footage of the men being killed was shared across broadcast channels and social media, gunman is seen reaching over the shoulders of police to point a pistol at the temple Ahmed

Atiq Ahmed’s turban is blown off as the gun discharges

His brother, Ashraf Ahmed, was shot a split second later

Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Ahmed were accused of being members of a large mafia involved in land grabbing and in murder cases

Police shot dead Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad in Jhansi city, 9 days earlier

The younger Ahmed had been wanted in connection to a murder case that was being investigated as part of a wider crackdown into a land mafia operating in Uttar Pradesh.

Former gangster turned politician, Atiq Ahmed [right], is seen walking with his brother Ashraf Ahmed [left], under police escort seconds before both were assassinated in Utter Pradesh, India, on Saturday, while live TV feeds were rolling

A former lawmaker in India’s parliament, convicted of kidnapping, was shot dead along with his brother while police were escorting them for a medical check-up in a slaying caught on live television. The assassination happened on Saturday April, 16, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The dramatic footage of the double assassination was shared across broadcast channels and social media. A gunman is seen reaching over the shoulders of police to point a pistol at the temple of the former lawmaker, Atiq Ahmed, whose turban is blown off as the gun discharges.
His brother, Ashraf Ahmed, was shot a split second later.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed whose son Asad was killed in an encounter on Thursday, April 6, was shot dead on Saturday, in Prayagraj, Utter Pradesh. His brother Ashraf Ahmad was also gunned down by the assassins

In other footage, one gunman is seen firing repeatedly at brother’s bodies as they lay on the ground.
The two victims died within minutes, while police quickly detained three men suspected of carrying out the slaying.
The killings happened nine days after police shot dead Atiq Ahmed’s son, Asad. The younger Ahmed had been wanted in connection to a murder case that was being investigated as part of a wider crackdown into a land mafia operating in Uttar Pradesh.

The shooter who has not been identified surrendered to police at the scene

The second hitman who pumped more bullets into Ashraf Ahmed as he lay on the ground was also arrested along with the third member of the hit squad

Atiq Ahmed, [center], a former member of India’s parliament, accused in several criminal cases, seen outside a court in Prayagraj, on April 13, did not attend the last rites for his son, Asad ,on Saturday. Asad, a fugitive from another murder case was killed on April 6, by police

Media reports say the assailants had been posing as journalists. One surrendered immediately after the shooting, while officers subdued the other two suspects.
They had been among a throng of journalists that had gathered as Atiq who served in India’s parliament on the platform of the Samadwaji Party from 2004 to 2009, and his brother, both allegedly kingpins in a local criminal organization, were being transported from a hospital in Prayagraj city on Saturday evening.
The gangster turned politician who had more than 160 criminal cases registered against him, and competed in several elections from jail has been in incarcerated since 2019.
He had been convicted for the kidnap a witness who testified against him regarding the 2005 murder of his political rival Raju Pal.
Starting in 1989, Atiq Ahmed was elected five times as a legislator to the Utter Pradesh state assembly from the city, and was also elected to the parliament from Phulpur constituency in 2004. However, by March 2023, authorities in Utter Pradesh had seized properties worth $1.5 billion from the career criminal and his family and he remained in jail until his assassination by gunmen on his way to a court-mandated medical checkup on Saturday

Police forensic team examine the spot where Atiq Ahmed, a former lawmaker in India’s parliament Atiq Ahmed, was shot dead on Saturday

After the attack on the brothers during which a lone policeman was also injured, the gunmen shouted Hindu religious chants.
Fearing the possibility of violent unrest in the wake of the killings, the Uttar Pradesh government barred gatherings of more than four people across the entire state.
“The state government imposed restrictive orders after the killings of Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Ahmed who were members of a large mafia involved in land grabbing and in murder cases,” said a senior police official.
“We don’t want any form of protest to gain momentum,” the official said on conditions of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak with the press.