NHRC issues notices to UP police over Atiq Ahmad, Ashraf Ahmad killings

The brothers were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews. The macabre visuals were circulated widely on social media platforms and television channels.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on April 18 issued notices to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, and Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, seeking reports based on the complaints against the killing of Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf by miscreants in police custody.

The human rights body said: “The National Human Rights Commission, India has taken cognisance of complaints alleging that two brothers Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were killed by miscreants in police custody in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh on April 16, 2023.”

The commission has sought reports from the Uttar Pradesh DGP and the CP of Prayagraj within four weeks.

In the reports, the NHRC has sought details covering all aspects leading to death (including time, place, and reason for arrest/detention of the two, a copy of the complaint and FIR registered against the deceased, a copy of the arrest memo and inspection memo, and proof of whether information of arrest was provided to the family/relatives of the deceased.

Also read: UP Police forms SIT to probe killing of Atiq Ahmad, brother Asraf

The police have also been asked to furnish a copy of the seizure memo and recovery memo, a copy of the medical-legal certificate of the deceased, copies of all relevant GD extracts, the inquest report, a typed of the post-mortem report with the description of the injuries, a video cassette/CD of the post mortem examination, a site plan of the scene of the occurrence giving all the details, a chemical and histopathology examination of viscera (if applicable), and the final cause of death based on FSL report along with the magisterial enquiry report.

Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead late night on April 15 while being taken for a medical checkup in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmad is the father of gangster-turned-politician Asad Ahmad, who was killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh Police in the Umesh Pal murder case.

The last rites of Ahmad's son Asad, who was gunned down in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13, were performed in Prayagraj just hours before the shooting.

The firing took place inside Dhoomanganj Police Station in Prayagraj. The assailants -- Luvlesh Tiwari (22) of Banda, Mohit, alias Sunny, (23) of Hamirpur, and Arun Kumar Maurya (18) of Kasganj -- who had posed as media persons, were caught on the spot after shooting Atiq and his brother dead outside a hospital in the Shahganj area.

The brothers were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews. The macabre visuals were circulated widely on social media platforms and television channels.