New Delhi: In his first reaction to the killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf on live television in Prayagraj, Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday, April 18, said mafia of criminals “can no longer terrorise” businessmen in Uttar Pradesh.While the April 15 killings have raised several questions that the Uttar Pradesh police and administration must answer, the state’s chief minister was quoted by Deccan Herald as saying, “Aaj koi mafia aur peshewar apradhi kisi udyami ko dara dhamka nahin sakta (Now, no mafia or professional criminal can terrorise any businessman in UP).”He continued, “UP guarantees you (businessmen) the best law and order situation.”The BJP leader also claimed that during the previous government run by Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh was known for communal riots. “The situation has now changed,” he said, according to DH.Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of complaints regarding the killings of Atiq and Ashraf Ahmed. It issued notices to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj and asked them to submit a detailed report on the entire incident within four weeks.The Ahmed brothers were killed while they were in police custody, by three assailants who were apparently posing as media persons.The opposition has said that the killings show that there has been a collapse of the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.The state government has ordered a high-level probe into the murders, while a three-member Special Investigation Team of the UP police is also looking into the incident.
