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'Art of elimination…': Kapil Sibal's eight 'odd' points on Atiq Ahmad killing
Atiq Ahmad killing: The gangster-politician, who was elected to the Lok Sabha for one term, and his brother were shot dead by three armed men on live TV.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday flagged eight 'odd' points about the killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf - accused of the February murder of lawyer Umesh Pal - while in police custody.
The Congress leader tweeted: "Atiq and Ashraf (the art of elimination)" and listed his eight observations on their deaths.
The 'odd' points raised included questions about the late night check-up, cops allowing media persons to approach, the use of high-powered and imported weapons, and the fact that none of three killers made any attempt to escape.
"Odd:
1) 10pm for medical check up ?
2) No medical emergency
3) made victims walk
4) open to media?
5) assassins unknown to each other at the spot ?
6) weapons above 7lakhs
7) well trained to shoot !
8) All 3 surrendered"
Sibal's questions - seen as directed to the Bharatiya Janata Party that is in power in UP and at the centre - echo those raised by other opposition leaders, such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav. The Bihar deputy chief minister ripped into the BJP this morning and claimed a 'scripted' encounter.
Samajwadi Party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has also been critical of current CM Yogi Adityanath and his administration.
He has declared the killing of Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf, and that of Atiq's son Asad and his aide Ghulam, to be 'fake'. These, he has said, were orchestrated by the ruling BJP to 'divert attention from real issues' ahead of civic body polls.
The killing of Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and his aide Ghulam in an encounter with UP Police last week had triggered similar criticisms.
READ | UP Oppn leaders demand high-level probe into Jhansi encounter
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was particularly ferocious in his attack, declaring 'you (the BJP) do encounters in the name of religion'.
READ | 'Will BJP also shoot...': Furious Owaisi slams Asad Ahmad killing
Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf were shot dead at point blank range late Saturday night by three men posing as journalists. This was as Atiq and Ashraf were being walked - with an escort of armed policemen - for a 'medical check-up'.
READ | Atiq Ahmad's killers shouted 'Jai Shri Ram', identified. What we know
It is unclear if Atiq and Ashraf were experiencing a medical emergency; if yes, should they not have been in an ambulance? Both should have had routine check-ups completed after being arrested, in line with protocols. Police officers quoted in some reports referred to a night medical check-up as 'unusual'.
Atiq Ahmed's brother Ashraf predicted their deaths two weeks ago | Watch
Their killers - Arun Maurya, Lavlesh Tiwari and Sunny - made no effort to escape. They have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Police claim the trio killed Atiq and Ashraf to make a name for themselves among the underworld.
Police further said they recovered three pistols from the killers, two of which were 9mm guns made in Turkey; the third was a country-made 7.62 weapon.
READ | Atiq Ahmad was killed using Turkey-made pistols: What police said
The entire incident was caught live on camera; Atiq was shot responding to a question on not being able to attend the funeral of his son Asad.
Atiq Ahmad, his brother and his son were among those accused in the murder of Umesh Pal, a witness to the 2005 killing of the Bahujan Samaj Party's Raju Pal.
READ | In 50 days, Atiq, Asad among 6 accused killed in Umesh Pal murder case
The UP government has responded by setting up a three-member judicial committee to investigate the killing of Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf. Faced with questions, UP Police has also set up a three-member team of its own.
