Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed being escorted by the police for a medical checkup, in Prayagraj. They were killed moments later. File Photo
| Photo Credit: PTI
The report of the Judicial Commission investigating the murder of history sheeter turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in police custody was tabled on Thursday in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.
The Commission, chaired by retired Allahabad High Court Judge Arvind Kumar Tripathi, exonerated the state police of any negligence. The Commission, which recorded the statements of 87 witnesses, and examined hundreds of documents, CCTV footage, and video footage, concluded that the incident occurred “suddenly,” and it was impossible for the police team to save the duo or start a shootout with a large number of media persons present.
“The incident occurred suddenly, and the reaction of police personnel present at the time of the incident was normal. They didn’t have time to react any differently. The entire incident happened in nine seconds. They could not save Atiq-Ashraf, nor were they in a position to capture and kill the attackers,” said the report.
The report also questioned the role of the media, which helped the attackers who were “posing as media” get close to the deceased. “The horrific incident was recorded by the media and broadcast live on television networks. This brought tremendous notoriety to the attackers, which was in the minds of attackers,” added the report.
The Commission was formed under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. The accused, Lavlesh Tiwari, 22, Arun Maurya, 18, and Sunny, 23, opened fire on former MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother near the entrance of the Moti Lal Nahru Mandaliya Chikitsalaya in Prayagraj when they were brought there for a medical examination on April 15, 2023.
The incident took place in front of TV cameras, generating global attention, with opposition parties questioning the law-and-order situation in U.P. The accused were posing as journalists, with microphones, ID, and cameras in hand. Both the former MP and his brother died on the spot. The trio were caught after the shooting.
