The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, and Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, seeking reports based on complaints regarding the killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed by miscreants in police custody. The NHRC has taken cognizance of the complaints alleging that the two brothers were killed on April 16, 2023, in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh.
The commission has sought detailed reports from the police officials, covering all aspects leading to the deaths, including the time, place, and reason for arrest/detention of the two, a copy of the complaint and FIR registered against the deceased, arrest memos, inspection memos, and proof of whether information of arrest was provided to the family/relatives of the deceased. The NHRC has also asked for copies of the seizure memo, recovery memo, medical-legal certificate of the deceased, relevant GD extracts, inquest report, post-mortem report with description of injuries, video cassette/CD of the post-mortem examination, site plan of the scene of occurrence, chemical and histopathology examination of viscera (if applicable), and the final cause of death based on FSL report along with the magisterial enquiry report.
Atiq Ahmed, a mafia-turned-politician, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead while being taken for a medical checkup in Prayagraj on April 15. Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed was also killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh Police in the Umesh Pal murder case. The firing took place inside Dhoomanganj Police Station in Prayagraj, and the assailants, 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, and the incident was captured on camera and widely circulated on social media platforms and television channels.
The NHRC’s notices to the police officials indicate its concern about the alleged custodial killings and its commitment to ensuring that human rights are protected and upheld. The reports sought by the NHRC will be crucial in shedding light on the circumstances leading to the deaths of Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Ahmed and determining if there were any violations of their human rights. The case will be closely monitored by the NHRC and human rights organizations, and appropriate action will be expected to be taken based on the findings of the reports.