Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead point blank late evening on 15 April, the same day that the last rites of Asad, Atiq's son were performed. Asad was shot dead in a police encounter by the UP Special Task Force on 13 April.

News agency PTI has reported that Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead point blank late in the evening on 15 April, when they were being taken for a medical check up at a hospital in Prayagraj. Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were speaking to reporters at the Dhoomanganj Police Station at Prayagraj as per PTI. The police have detained three people who executed the murder through point blank shots to the head of Atiq and Ashraf, in the presence of police personnel and reporters. The video of the shoot out has gone viral as the interaction of Atiq and Ashraf was being reported live on television.

In the video of the shooting that has gone viral, chants of "Jai Shri Ram" can be heard. As per media reports, the police have detained three persons, namely Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny and Arun Maurya. As per reports, a police man and a media person were also injured in the shootout that took place at 10pm on 15 April. A high alert has been issued in Prayagraj and Section 144 has been implemented in the district.

The brother's lawyer VIjay Mishra reportedly spoke to NDTV that the brothers were being taken for medical examination once again on 15 April, and this time the security around the two was lower that earlier, despite the fact that Atiq was allegedly one of the masterminds of the fatal attack on journalist Umesh Pal in Prayagraj. Atiq had reportedly approached the Supreme Court earlier that he would be killed in an encounter like Vikas Dubey, but he court had turned down his plea. Atiq was transported from Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad to Uttar Pradesh and he was transported through Udaipur.