Atiq Ahmed, a former Indian lawmaker convicted of kidnapping, was shot dead along with his brother while in police custody on Saturday. The shooting took place in the city of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and was caught on live television.
Ahmed and his brother were being escorted to a hospital for a medical checkup when three men posing as journalists opened fire on them. The gunmen were able to escape the scene and have not yet been identified.
Ahmed was a controversial figure who had been accused of a number of crimes, including kidnapping, extortion, and murder. He was convicted of kidnapping in 2012 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, he was released on bail in 2017 pending appeal.
His death has sparked outrage among his supporters, who have accused the government of being involved in his assassination. The government has denied these allegations and has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The shooting has also raised questions about the security of prisoners in India. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of prisoners being killed or injured while in custody. This has led to calls for reforms to the prison system.