NHRC issues notice to UP Police over Atiq-Ashraf killings

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday took cognizance of the killings of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashra from point-blank range in "police custody" and issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh's Director General of Police, and Prayagraj's Commissioner of Police.

NHRC has asked the State police to submit the report within four weeks. "The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken cognizance 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 15, 2023," NHRC said in a statement.

The commission has asked for a detailed report, covering all the aspects leading to death (including time, place and reason for arrest/detention), copy of complaint and FIR registered against the deceased, copy of arrest memo and inspection memo, whether information of arrest was given to family/relatives?, copy of seizure memo and recovery memo, copy of medical legal certificate of the deceased, copies of all relevant GD extracts (all must be legible and transcribed in English/Hindi), Inquest Report, Post Mortem Report (typed copy of PMR especially description of injuries must be provided), video cassette/CD of post mortem examination, site plan of scene of occurrence giving all the details, chemical & histopathology examination of viscera (if applicable), final cause of death based on FSL report, magisterial enquiry report (u/s 176(1-A) Cr.PC as amended by Act 25 of 2005.

On Sunday the three shooters- Arun Maurya, Sunny Singh and Lovelesh Tiwari- by posing as press persons gunned down Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, while they were escorted by uniformed personnel for medical in Prayagraj.
Preliminary results of an autopsy conducted on Atiq Ahmed's body suggested that the gangster was shot at least eight times with bullet injuries found in his head, neck and chest.

The autopsy report had further said that the gangster siblings collapsed on the spot after they were shot at nearly point-blank range.
Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the case of murder of Umesh Pal which happened in February this year. (ANI)