Asad's Encounter: Kapil Sibal Asks How Can A Young Boy Threaten Country's Security

Rajya Sabha MP and notable lawyer Kapil Sibal on Sunday voiced his concerns regarding the encounter culture while asking how can a young boy threaten the security of a country. Reacting to the encounter of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's son Asad, the Congress leader said that the police should catch and prosecute such criminals instead of doing an encounter.

"A young boy (Asad) whose age is 19, how can he threaten the security of the country? If you want to catch him, hit him on his leg, prosecute him. Why do you want to kill him?," ANI quoted Kapil Sibal as saying. While Asad was killed in an encounter on April 13, don Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were murdered in front of police on April 15. 

#WATCH | ...A young boy (Asad) whose age is 19, how can he threaten the security of the country? If you want to catch him, hit him on his leg, prosecute him. Why do you want to kill him? : Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal pic.twitter.com/em27Iv5fAY — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2023

When asked about whether the Supreme Court should take suo moto cognizance of the killing of Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf, Sibal said, "I hope so because unless the message goes from the court...This is true not particularly in this case and not just in encounters. The whole process of the law in the context of who should be arrested, how long he should be in jail, what is the basis on which he should be kept in jail, there are some judgements of the supreme court, that need to be tightened. I think the administration must be brought to task if they don't follow the law as strictly set up by the Supreme Court."

#WATCH | Delhi: "I hope so...The whole process of the law in the context of who should be arrested, how long he should be in the jail should be strictly set out by the SC," says Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on whether the Supreme Court should take suo moto cognizance of the killing… pic.twitter.com/amebybdn0U

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2023

Earlier, Sibal said on Twitter, "Two murders in UP: 1) Atiq Ahmed and brother Ashraf 2) Rule of law." Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in all districts of Uttar Pradesh to prevent any untoward incident. Internet services remain shut in Prayagraj district as part of the security measures.

The two brothers were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on Saturday night while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup. Briefing reporters about the incident, Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, Ramit Sharma had on Saturday said the three assailants, who were arrested immediately after the incident, had joined the group of media persons who were trying to get sound bites from Ahmad and Ashraf. (With ANI/PTI inputs)