Former Indian Member of Parliament Atiq Ahmed and his brother were assassinated while being escorted to a medical checkup by police on April 15. The brutal attack was broadcasted live on national television and quickly went viral on social media.
In the video footage, the killer can be seen reaching over the shoulders of police officers and pointing a gun at Ahmed’s temple. Ahmed’s turban flew off as the gun went off, and his brother Ashraf was shot moments later. There is also other footage that shows the gunman repeatedly firing at the brothers’ bodies as they lay on the ground.
Local media reports suggest that the suspected gunmen were posing as journalists. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial investigation into the killings. The brothers were reportedly leaders of a local criminal organization involved in murder and land-grabbing.
Only a week earlier, Ahmed’s son had been killed in Jhansi City, where he was wanted in connection with a murder case that was part of a larger crackdown on a land mafia in Uttar Pradesh. The state government banned gatherings of more than four people in the area due to concerns about violent unrest that the assassinations might cause.
The assassination while in police custody highlighted the challenges that law enforcement forces face in the region, as well as underscoring the criminal activities that continue to plague India.
Ahmed had been a Member of Parliament with the Samajwadi Party before losing the election in 2014. The head of the opposition criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s inability to establish law and order in the state.
The assassination was a tragic event that sent shockwaves across the nation. The killers’ boldness in carrying out such a brazen attack in broad daylight, in the presence of police officers, was a cause for concern for law enforcement agencies.