The three attackers, who were detained after shooting gangster Atiq and his brother Ashraf, confessed to their crime on Sunday and said they intended to “become popular” by doing it.
Gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical test in Prayagraj, only days after Atiq Ahmad’s son, Asad, was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi. “We wanted to kill Atiq and his brother Ashraf with the aim of completely wiping off their gang and making a name for ourselves,” the FIR quotes the accused assailants as saying to police.
Meanwhile, the autopsy of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf has been started. His brother-in-law and cousin are likely to receive the body.
“We prepared to kill Atiq and Ashraf by pretending to be local journalists as soon as we learned they had been brought into custody by the police,” the FIR stated further.
All three assailants were captured there. They are currently in police custody and being interrogated.
In response to the attack, the Uttar Pradesh Police implemented Section 144 throughout the state and increased security at critical locations and important public places.
Atiq Ahmad was charged with the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 as well as the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP leader’s murder, in February this year.
After a gangster-turned-politician and his brother were shot dead in front of the media on Saturday night, the police announced at a hurried press conference that all three attackers had been arrested.