Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest at the Kali Bagh burial ground in Ghazipur on Saturday amid tight security arrangements by the local administration.
Ansari’s body was brought to the family’s ancestral burial ground, located approximately half a kilometre from their residence, where a grave had been dug on Friday. Elaborate security measures were put in place outside Ansari’s residence and the burial ground.
The 57-year-old Ansari, who was lodged in the Banda jail, passed away due to a cardiac arrest on Thursday. His body arrived in his hometown around midnight on Friday, and burial rituals were performed at the residence before the procession to the burial ground.
Led by family members including his son Umar Ansari and brother Afzal Ansari, the procession made its way to the Kali Bagh burial ground. Despite restricted entry, a large crowd accompanied the procession, with some raising slogans.
Security personnel, including paramilitary forces, were deployed in strength to manage the crowd and maintain order. DIG of Varanasi Range O.P. Singh confirmed that adequate police force was deployed throughout the area.
Following a post-mortem examination on Friday, Ansari’s body was transported from Banda to Ghazipur via a 400-kilometer route, with police vehicles accompanying the ambulance amid heavy security arrangements.
Following his death, Mukhtar Ansari’s son, Umar Ansari, alleged that his father had been subjected to slow poisoning while in jail.
On Friday, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Banda initiated a judicial inquiry into Ansari’s death in custody. The court mandated MP/MLA court judge Garima Singh to furnish a report within a month to the Banda Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Simultaneously, Ansari’s post-mortem examination was conducted by a team of doctors in Banda. Subsequently, his body will be handed over to family members and transported to Mohammadabad in Ghazipur district.
Mukhtar Ansari was in prison since 2005
The gangster-politician had been incarcerated since 2005 and faced a staggering number of criminal cases throughout his life. Known for his involvement in murder, extortion, and anti-social activities, Ansari was entangled in over 65 criminal cases filed across various districts of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Of these cases, 25 were registered against him while he was already in prison.
At the time of his demise, Ansari still had 21 cases pending against him, indicating the extensive legal battles he was embroiled in. Over the years, he had been convicted in eight cases by different courts in Uttar Pradesh.
One of the prominent cases involving Mukhtar Ansari was the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai and six others. The incident occurred in the Bhawarkol area of Ghazipur district in November 2005.