Mukhtar Ansari, gangster-turned-politician, died on Thursday after his health deteriorated as he suffered a cardiac arrest. The jailed gangster was rushed to Banda Medical College Hospital in Banda, Ghazipur where he died during the treatment. This was the second time in two days when his health deteriorated. On Tuesday also, Ansari was taken to the hospital and admitted for around 14 hours after he complained of abdominal pain.
According to reports, the gangster's health deteriorated after he broke his Ramzan fast. Banda Medical College principal Suneel Kaushal has confirmed that Ansari has died of a cardiac arrest at the facility.
Mukhtar Ansari, 60, was a five-time former MLA from Mau Sadar seat and had been behind bars in UP and Punjab since 2005. He had over 60 criminal cases pending against him. He was sentenced in eight cases since September 2022 by different courts of UP and was lodged in the Banda jail.
His name was on the list of 66 gangsters issued by Uttar Pradesh Police last year.
The security has been enhanced in Mau town of Uttar Pradesh as Ansari's supporters have started to gather at his residence.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which bars large gatherings, were imposed across Uttar Pradesh following Ansari's death, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said.
There is a special deployment of police personnel in Banda, Mau, Ghazipur and Varanasi districts, he added.
Ansari's brother claimed he was being poisoned
Earlier, his brother and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, who reached the hospital, alleged that he was given poison in jail.
Ansari had himself earlier told the court that he was being given food laced with poison in jail, after which the court had sought a report on the same. He had alleged that he was also given food laced with poison 40 days ago.
The Samajwadi Party condoled Ansari's death. "Sad demise of former MLA Shri Mukhtar Ansari. May his soul rest in peace. May the bereaved family members get the strength to bear this immense loss. Humble tribute," the party said in a post in Hindi on X.
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