A former member of parliament, brother shot dead during a live television broadcast.

 

A former member of parliament, brother shot dead during a live television broadcast.

Atiq (right) and his brother Asyraf (left) were talking to some journalists before being shot in the head at close range. -Twitter/@AdityaRajKaul

UTTAR PRADESH: A former Indian parliamentarian convicted of kidnapping was shot dead along with his brother during a live television broadcast.

Atiq Ahmed, who was escorted by police, was talking to several journalists when he was shot in the head at close range.

According to local media reports, three male suspects posing as journalists surrendered as soon as shots were fired and are now in custody.

A policeman and a journalist were also injured at the scene.

Atiq previously claimed that there was a threat to his own life from the police.

Atiq's son Asad and another man are wanted in connection with the shooting death of police earlier this week in a shootout.

A viral video of the incident showed Atiq and his brother Ashraf speaking to reporters on their way to a medical check-up at a nearby hospital moments before they were both shot.

In the recording, Atiq was asked if he attended his son's funeral, and his last words: "They didn't take us, so we didn't go."

Atiq, who is a former member of parliament, and his brother are in police custody and taken to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, where Atiq faces charges of murder and assault.

He was jailed in 2019 after being convicted of kidnapping.

More than 180 people facing various charges have been killed by the police in Uttar Pradesh in the last six years.

Human rights activists accused the police of wanton killings, a charge denied by the state government.