‘Atiq's killers are terrorists, why no UAPA against them?': Owaisi slams Centre, UP govt over 'inaction'

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the central and Uttar Pradesh governments on Friday for their "inaction and failure" to charge the killers of politician-turned-gangster Atiq Ahmed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Speaking at an event in Hyderabad, Owaisi said, "Atiq's killers are terrorists. They are radicalised. The government must stop them."

Owaisi also criticised the UP police for not firing a single bullet at the shooters who killed his brother Ashraf in their custody.

Owaisi questions police inaction at the time of the incident

"In our country, those in handcuffs, those in police custody are being killed. When the bullets were fired, the police personnel surrounding them didn't even fire a bullet. It seemed like they [police] came to baraat (wedding procession)," Owaisi said.

On April 15, while being escorted by police to a medical college for a checkup, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot at point-blank range by three men who were pretending to be journalists during a media interaction. The brothers were in handcuffs and had been imprisoned in Prayagraj. The incident occurred around 10 pm and was witnessed by multiple camera crews.

AIMIM chief raises questions over source of expensive weapons

He further questioned the source of the expensive weapons used by the killers, given that they belonged to families living in poverty.

"Each weapon the shooters used costs ₹8 lakh. How did they get the money? These killers are trained, part of a terror cell," said Owaisi.

Recalling the attack on his vehicle last year, Owaisi stated that when shots were fired at him, individuals chanted "Jai Shri Ram slogans". The attack occurred on February 3 in Hapur while he was returning to Delhi after attending election-related events in western Uttar Pradesh.