People celebrating killing of Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf are vultures: Owaisi

HYDERABAD: After gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead in Prayagraj, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the incident a "cold-blooded murder" while adding that people who are celebrating this killing are "vultures". Addressing the mediapersons on Sunday morning, Owaisi said, "Uttar Pradesh's BJP government has a role in this. Supreme Court-monitored investigation should be done and a committee should be formed. No officer from Uttar Pradesh should be included in the committee. This was a 'cold-blooded' murder."

He further said, "How did they (killers) get those weapons?... Why were they raising religious slogans after killing them? What will you call them if not terrorists? Will you call them Patriots? People celebrating this incident are vultures..." He said the incident raises a big question about the law and order situation.

The AIMIM chief questioned whether the public will have any faith in the constitution and Law and order of the country after this incident. "I have always been saying that BJP in Uttar Pradesh is not running the government by the rule of law but by the rule of gun," he said.

Owaisi further demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation. "I demand the resignation of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Supreme Court to form a team and investigate this matter. We also demand all police officers present there should be removed from service," he said.

"Atiq and his brother were in police custody. He was handcuffed. JSR (Jai Shri Ram) slogans were also raised. The killing of both is the failure of Yogi's law and order system. Those celebrating encounter raj are also responsible for this murder," Owaisi added. Days after Atiq Ahmed's son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi, the gangster-turned-politician and his brother, Ashraf Ahmed, were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the Umesh Pal murder case which happened in February this year. UP Police so far has arrested a total of 3 shooters in this incident.

In the aftermath of the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a late-night meeting instructed the state police officers to be on high alert and ensure law and order are maintained across the state. "UP CM Yogi Adityanath has instructed Police officers to be on alert, ensure peace, law and order are maintained in the state and the public doesn't face any trouble," according to the Chief Minister office's statement.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter. "CM Yogi immediately called a high-level meeting and ordered a high-level inquiry into the whole matter. Chief Minister also gave instructions for the formation of a three-member Judicial Commission (Judicial Inquiry Commission) in the matter," officials said.

Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday imposed Section 144 of CrPC in all the districts, in the aftermath of Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Ahmed was shot dead in Prayagraj, officials informed. Shortly after mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said crime has reached its peak in the state and the morale of the "criminals" has grown by leaps and bounds.

"Crime has reached its peak in UP and the morale of the criminals is high. When someone can be killed openly despite being surrounded by a security cordon, one can imagine the state of the general public. Due to this (alleged encounter killings), an ambience of fear is being created among the public. It seems that some people are deliberately creating such an ambience," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted.