Mukhtar Ansari, a name that rose to national infamy from the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, faced over 60 criminal charges. Even from behind bars, Mukhtar's political clout and influence over the system were unmistakeable. But it was in the confines of the jail that his heart ceased beating, leaving many to speculate about slow poisoning as the cause of his demise, which is currently under investigation.
The jail administrators insist that there's no truth to the poison theory, suggesting that his death was caused by a cardiac arrest. To ascertain the facts, an autopsy has been recorded and viscera will be inspected to conclude whether poisoning played a part.
Indeed, ever since March 19th, Mukhtar's condition had been deteriorating. On that day, he suffered from vomiting and stomach pains, treated then by the prison doctors. His legal hearing via video conferencing was scheduled for the next day, where he alleged a conspiracy to poison his food on the 19th.
Mukhtar's health woes began on March 19th
Healthy until the evening of March 26th despite persistent abdominal pain, Mukhtar suddenly lost consciousness in the restroom. In response, the jail staff sent him to the Banda Medical College Hospital, where he remained under care for the entire day, being discharged in the evening after speaking to his family over the phone about his condition.
By the 27th, Mukhtar’s state hadn’t improved, as he complained of weakness and ongoing stomach issues. Come the evening of the 28th, his health took a severe downturn yet again, resulting in another emergency trip to the hospital, where shortly upon arrival, Mukhtar Ansari was declared dead.
Mukhtar had a history of heart disease
A long-time sufferer of cardiac ailments, Mukhtar had extensive treatments at King George Medical University Hospital in Lucknow. Notably, in January 2018, he had previously suffered a heart attack in the same Banda jail.
Battling serious health complications
Initial inspections at the jail hospital revealed both Mukhtar and his visiting wife suffered heart attacks, leading to their treatment at Banda Medical College Hospital. Later, they were separately transported to a medical facility in Lucknow for further care.
Despite these concerns, Mukhtar was rumored to have been poisoned alongside his wife during their last jail visit, echoing charges laid by the Ansari family of potential foul play.
Mukhtar was moved to Punjab's Ropar jail for a different case and stayed there without further health incidents until April 2021, when he was shifted back to Banda jail following orders from the Supreme Court, amidst his family's protests over his safety.
Mukhtar was previously shifted to Punjab's Ropar jail
Upon his return to Banda jail until 19th March this year, Mukhtar's health was reportedly stable, with no claims of poison until his sudden deterioration after the 19th.
