The town of Mohammadabad Yusufpur in Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh, was marked by closed shops on Friday. This hometown of Mukhtar Ansari, the gangster-turned-politician, stood still as the news of his death from a heart attack on Thursday night spread. Incarcerated in Banda Jail, Ansari was rushed from prison to the hospital where he passed away during treatment.
The remains of Ansari are to be brought to his family home for the last rites. A heavy deployment of security has been ordered to maintain law and order. Locals awaited the arrival of the body of Mukhtar, who served as a five-term legislative assembly member.
Ansari's resting place prepared near his father's grave in Kali Baag
In preparation for Mukhtar Ansari's burial, a grave has been dug beside his father's in the Kali Baag cemetery belonging to the Ansari family. Circle Officer (CO) Atar Singh and Inspector Pawan Kumar Upadhyay from the Mohammadabad Police Station shared details on the arrangements. The family has indicated that the funeral will occur on Saturday morning.
Source: aajtak
Post-mortem conducted in Banda
In fact, Mukhtar Ansari's post-mortem was conducted some 400 kilometers away in Banda. The convoy carrying his body will pass through Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, and Varanasi districts before reaching Ghazipur. Ansari's lawyer, Naseem Haider, expects the body to arrive in Ghazipur by late night, with the funeral scheduled for the following day, Saturday.
Son alleges a premeditated murder
Umar Ansari, Mukhtar's son, has written to the District Magistrate of Banda, alleging that his father's death was a well-planned murder. He has requested for the post-mortem to be done at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. 'We have no faith in the administration and medical team of Banda,' he stated in his letter.
Victims of Mukhtar's terror express relief: 'As you sow, so shall you reap'
In Mohammadabad Yusufpur, people started to gather at Ansari's residence from early morning. Sanjeev Kumar Gihar, ward councilor of Lohatiya number 25, mentioned that the community did not formally call for a shutdown. 'It was out of sympathy that people closed their shops. I myself have been victimized by Mukhtar Ansari,' he said, quoting a fitting proverb for the situation – 'As you sow, so shall you reap.' Ansari's political rivals have sharply reacted to his demise, expressing sentiments of justice served and poetic justice.
'Justice may be delayed, but never denied,' says Krishnanand Rai's nephew
Krishnanand Rai, a BJP MLA from Mohammadabad, was murdered in 2005. His nephew, Anand Rai, commented, 'It might take time, but in the end, justice prevails. This is divine judgment.' Ansari and members of his family were accused in the murder of Krishnanand Rai. However, due to Ansari's influence, witnesses retracted their statements, leading to his acquittal.
Section 144 imposed in several areas, heightened security measures in effect
An officer informed that security forces in Mau are on high alert. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) that prohibits assembly has been imposed not just in Mau, but also in Ghazipur, Ballia, and surrounding areas. According to reports from Bhadohi, security along the national highway has been intensified since Ansari's body will be transported along this route.
Circle Officer (CO) of Traffic, Bhuvneshwar Prasad Pandey stated that the convoy carrying the body will pass through densely populated areas along the highway. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers to prevent any disruptions. The administration in Ballia, adjacent to Ghazipur, is also fully alert. District Magistrate Ravinder Kumar has instructed all administrative officers to remain vigilant. Additional Superintendent of Police, Durga Prasad Tiwari, has ordered all officers to patrol their respective regions.
