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Gangster-Politician Atiq Ahmad's Killing Points Towards 'Jungle Raj' In Uttar Pradesh: Mehbooba Mufti

Atiq Ahmad and his brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti
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PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother's killing in Uttar Pradesh points towards 'jungle raj' prevailing in Uttar Pradesh.

She also alleged it was a "clever diversionary tactic" to shift attention from the "revelations" made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik about the Pulwama attack.

"Ahmad was not an angel. He was an accused. But the way he was killed in UP, it seems jungle raj is prevailing there," Mehbooba told reporters on the sidelines of a party function here.

She said Ahmad had requested the Supreme Court that he should be given security as his life was under threat. "The Supreme Court also did not intervene. Then where shall one go (to seek help)," the former chief minister said, claiming that the incident was not spontaneous but pre-planned.

Mehbooba said this "big scandal" was done to divert attention from the allegation levelled by Satyapal Malik.

Malik, in an interview to a news portal, had claimed there were lapses in security protocol that led to the February 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

"Satyapal Malik has levelled serious charges against the central government --whether it is Pulwama attack -- that there was information about (threat of) Pulwama attack. The plane was not provided for ferrying them. How such a big quantity of RDX has come," she pointed out.

Mehbooba, while quoting Malik, said they were told to sit silent. "There should be no question about this. He (Malik) has alleged that BJP chief ministers are collecting money and are being sent to Adani. He (Malik) has levelled serious charges of corruption," she said.

Malik has said a lot, particularly about Pulwama in which 40 jawans were martyred, she said and added: "They raised fingers on it. This big scandal was engineered to divert attention from allegations levelled by Satyapal Malik".

Ahmad and his brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night while being escorted by police personnel to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup.