Atiq Ahmad-Ashraf killing: Five UP cops suspended as probe into killings continues

The brothers were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews. The senior police officer said the five personnel were suspended after a special investigation team (SIT) charged them with negligence in discharging their duties.

As many as five police personnel were on Wednesday (April 19) suspended for negligence in connection with the killing of mafia-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf, a senior officer said. Shahganj police station in-charge Ashwani Kumar Singh was among those suspended.

The remaining are a sub-inspector and three constables. Ahmad and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night when police personnel were escorting them to a hospital in the Shahganj police station area in Prayagraj for a checkup.

The brothers were in handcuffs when they were killed in full view of camera crews. The senior police officer said the five personnel were suspended after a special investigation team (SIT) charged them with negligence in discharging their duties. Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma had constituted the three-member SIT headed by Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Chandra to probe the killings.

Earlier today, a Prayagraj court sent three persons accused of killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Mohammad Ashraf to police custody for four days. Lovelesh Tiwari, Mohit and Arun Kumar Maurya were produced in the court amid tight security on Wednesday morning as the police sought a seven-day remand.

Passing the order later, the court sent them to police custody for four days -- from 2 pm on Wednesday till 5 pm on April 23, district government advocate Gulab Chandra Agrahari said.