Uttar Pradesh: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the murder of gangster Atiq and his brother Ashraf. The petition sought formation of an independent expert committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge to probe the murder. This petition has been filed on behalf of advocate Vishal Tiwari. The petition has also sought an inquiry into the 183 encounters that took place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.

Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead on Saturday night on their way to a hospital in Prayagraj in the presence of the police. Referring to the killing of Atiq, the petition said that such action by the police poses a grave threat to democracy and the rule of law.

Atiq-Ashraf murdered late on Saturday night

The petitioner states that his PIL is against the violation of the rule of law and the repressive police brutality being perpetrated by Uttar Pradesh. A day before the murder of Atiq and Ashraf, the Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) of Uttar Pradesh had said that 183 criminals have been killed in encounters during the six-year tenure of the Yogi government.

UP Police as daredevils

The petition filed by the lawyer states that the UP police has tried to become daredevils. The petitioner states that his PIL is against the violation of the rule of law and the repressive police brutality being perpetrated by Uttar Pradesh.

The petitioner said that he has also approached the court in a case related to the Kanpur encounter of Vikas Dubey. He said a similar pattern was repeated in the case of Atiq, in which his son Asad died in an encounter, while Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were killed by private assailants while they were in police custody. Petitioner advocate Vishal Tiwari has submitted in the petition that such incidents are a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law.