'Crime is at its peak in UP': Akhilesh Yadav after Atiq Ahmed killing

Opposition leaders questioned the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and demanded that the state government be dismissed after gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj.

Reacting to the incident, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi: "Crime has reached its peak in Uttar Pradesh and the criminals are unfazed. When someone can be shot dead amidst a police cordon, then what about the safety of the general public? An atmosphere of fear is being created among the public due to this and it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere."

Former chief minister Mayawati said that the killing raises serious questions on law and order under Yogi Adityanath.

'The shooting dead of Atiq Ahmed, who was brought from Gujarat jail and his brother Ashraf, who was brought from Bareilly jail last night in Prayagraj, in police custody, is just like the heinous Umesh Pal murder case. It raises serious questions on the law and order of the UP government, and its style of functioning,' she said.

The "cold-blooded" killings are the "height of anarchy" in Uttar Pradesh, BSP MP Danish Ali claimed.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary asked if 'jungle raj' prevails in the state.

"Nobody is sympathising with Atiq Ahmed because a criminal should be punished. But anyone who will see this video will question if we are a democracy. Every criminal has the right to be heard in court and be convicted there. But you can see they were killed in police custody in the open," he said.

He further said, "The chief minister should answer what kind of law and order he has established in the state. Is this not jungle raj and a ground to call for emergency rule in UP?"

(with PTI inputs)