A former Indian politician and his brother were shot dead in front of cameras

Two attackers disguised as journalists opened fire. You have been arrested.

In India, gunmen disguised as journalists shot dead a former MP and his brother on live TV while they were handcuffed by police and taken to hospital. Local police said that during an interview with reporters in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Saturday, the three attackers approached 61-year-old Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf and opened fire.

“The attackers have been arrested and are currently being questioned,” a police official said. According to local media reports, one of the militants held a TV camera, and another held a microphone with a TV station logo on it.

The motive is unknown

The two men were to be taken to a hospital for medical examinations and were accompanied by several police officers. The brothers were involved in the criminal underworld in India. Ateeq Ahmed, convicted of kidnapping, has been imprisoned since 2019.

The two victims belong to India’s Muslim minority, but the police did not say if there was a religious motive behind the deadly attack. Television footage showed the attackers shouting slogans in Hindi. Ahmed had previously stated that his life was threatened.

In India, hundreds of politicians of all parties are facing criminal charges, especially many in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the city of Prayagra is located. Human rights organizations deplore the fact that people are frequently extrajudicially executed in the country.

(APA)