You'd never expect to see an assassination broadcast on live TV.

But that's exactly what happened in 2023.

In the badlands of India's most populous state, a gangster-turned-politician met his end while millions watched.

So what did the notorious Atiq Ahmed do to get himself publicly executed? How did his assassins get through a police escort to reach him?

And who was powerful enough to give the order?

• Host: Aslan Pahari
• Producer: Hannah Jose
• Audio Engineer: John Jacobs
• Video Producer: Tejas Bhat
• Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research
• Executive Producers: Joel Werner, Eric George, Jessica Radburn

To binge even more great episodes of ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more stories of the world's most shocking assassinations — from the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac and Gandhi met their end.