Mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim aka Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on April 16. The incident took place after three men, posing as journalists, opened fire at Atiq and Ashraf while they were being taken for medical check-up by the police. Several questions have since been raised about the lapse in security by the Uttar Pradesh Police and the loopholes in their version of events.

The three assailants, identified as (alias) Sunny (23), Lavlesh Tiwari (22) and Arun Maurya (18) were arrested on the spot by the police. The accused were sent to judicial custody. UP Police formed a special three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the killings. However, Atiq's family and lawyer have alleged that the murder was a deep-rooted political conspiracy.

ALSO READ | Atiq Ahmed's son Ali bangs head on wall, injures himself in Naini jail

Loopholes in the case

The glaring loopholes in the UP Police’s version of the incident were detailed in a report by News18.

The decision to change the security arrangement for Atiq during the visit to the hospital is inexplicable. Earlier, Atiq Ahmed was moved around only in Vajra vehicles or police jeeps in the presence of cops wearing bulletproof vests. However, this wasn’t the case on Saturday (April 15), when his security cover was depleted.

The second loophole is the lack of motive of the assailants. As per the report, the assailants claimed that they wanted to make a big name in the world of crime, which doesn’t make sense as they immediately surrendered without an attempt to escape.

Other unanswered questions

1. What was the real motive of the assailants behind the murders?

2. Why were the cops who were escorting Atiq and Ashraf not wearing any protective gear or bulletproof jackets?

3. Was there a need to take Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Ahmed for medical examination late in the night when visibility is poor?

4. How and from where did the three assailants get intelligence about the brothers’ movements and that were brought to the hospital?

5. Since nothing so far suggests that the three assailants were old acquaintances, how did they come together to execute such a high-profile killing?

6. While the trio targeted Atiq and Ashraf, why did they not fire at the police to try and escape? Were they assured that they will not be killed in retaliation? What gave them such confidence to shoot and not fight?

7. From where did the assailants, who reportedly belong to a financially weak background, get such sophisticated firearms?

ALSO READ | What is the Umesh Pal kidnapping case and who is Atiq Ahmed | Explained

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Apr 17, 2023 7:28 PM IST