Owaisi demands SC-monitored probe into Atiq's murder

Hyderabad, April 16: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo moto cognizance of the killing of former MP Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Uttar Pradesh and constitute an investigation team.

The Hyderabad MP said officials from Uttar Pradesh should not be part of the investigation team to ensure a fair probe.

Owaisi told media persons that a thorough and time-bound investigation is required to bring out facts like who gave weapons to the killers, who sent them and how they could reach there. "Unless this is done, the killings will continue," he said.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead when the police were taking them to a hospital in Prayagraj for medical check-up. Assailants posing as TV reporters shot them from point blank range.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president demanded that all the police officers, who were escorting Atiq Ahmed and his brother, should be dismissed from service under Article 311 of the Constitution.

He recalled that the former MP had gone to the Supreme Court saying he feared for his life and the court had said that when he was in judicial custody it was the responsibility of the state to protect him.

Terming this as coldblooded murder, Owaisi said not just Muslims all those who believed in the Constitution and rule of law were now feeling insecure

Owaisi said ever since the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, there had been no rule of law but rule of gun in the state.

Stating that those in power have no compassion or humanity, he demanded resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"The chief minister should take the responsibility for this. He had said in the state Assembly 'Mitti mein miladenge'. Is this the language the chief minister of the biggest state of the country should use," he asked.

The MP said the incident also shows growing radicalization of the majority. "Just see the way they used their weapons. They raised religious slogans. Are they not terrorists?," he asked.

Owaisi termed as vultures those who celebrated the killings by sitting in TV studios. "They are forgetting that today BJP is in power but tomorrow some other party will be there. This will not stop," he said.

Owaisi said the assailants, who had attacked his car during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign, had also opened fire in the same manner and raised religious slogans.

When asked if he feared an attack on him, the MP said he was not scared and would continue to visit Uttar Pradesh to do his party work there. "I am ready to die. Whatever is destined to happen will happen but I will not stop," he said.