Mukhtar Ansari, a former gangster who later entered politics, passed away due to a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh last night. He was taken to the hospital in Banda after losing consciousness in the district jail around 8:45 pm. Despite efforts at treatment, he succumbed to cardiac arrest at Rani Durgavati Medical College.
His family, noting his prolonged imprisonment since 2005 in jails in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, has raised allegations of poisoning during his time in prison.
"Mukhtar said that he was given a poisonous substance in his food in jail. This happened for the second time. He was given poison around 40 days ago as well. And, recently, on March 19, he was again given this (poison) due to which his condition was bad," his brother Afzal Ansari had been quoted as saying by PTI.
Mukhtar Ansari's son Umar also alleged that his father was given poison in the food and said he would approach the court. "We said this before also and even today we will say the same thing. On March 19, he was poisoned in the dinner. We will move to the judiciary, we have full faith in it...," he said.
Earlier this month, Mukhtar Ansari's lawyer raised concerns in court about his client's safety in Banda jail, alleging that he faced a threat to his life and had been given a poisonous substance along with his food.
Following Ansari's demise, several political figures, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati, have called for an investigation into the allegations made by Ansari's family.
In response to the situation, security measures were heightened outside the hospital where Ansari passed away, and prohibitory orders were enforced across the state to uphold law and order.
Additionally, officials implemented increased security measures in districts like Banda, Mau, Ghazipur, and Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where Ansari was believed to wield influence through a purported criminal network.
Ansari's autopsy is scheduled to take place today at Banda Medical College Hospital.
Earlier this week, Ansari was hospitalised during the early hours of Tuesday and discharged after nearly 14 hours. The prison department attributed Ansari's health deterioration to fasting during Ramadan and a fall in the washroom.
A five-time former MLA from Mau, Ansari faced numerous criminal cases, including 15 murder charges. He initially joined a gang in the 1980s before establishing his own in the 1990s. His gang operated in extortion and kidnapping activities across Mau, Ghazipur, Varanasi, and Jaunpur districts.
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