Mukhtar Ansari, former Uttar Pradesh MLA, passed away on Thursday night from a sudden cardiac arrest. The 63-year-old had been imprisoned in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda jail and had also faced imprisonment in Punjab since 2005.
On Tuesday, Ansari was admitted to Banda Medical College after experiencing severe abdominal pain. His condition improved during the 14-hour hospital stay, and he was subsequently discharged. However, his health took a turn for the worse once again.
Ansari, a five-time former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Mau Sadar seat, had a political journey marred in controversies. His name was on the list of 66 gangsters issued by the Uttar Pradesh Police last year.
Security has been increased in Mau town, Uttar Pradesh, as Ansari’s supporters have begun gathering at his residence.
His brother and Ghazipur MP, Afzal Ansari, who arrived at the hospital, alleged that Ansari was given poison in jail.
“Mukhtar said that he was given a poisonous substance in jail. This happened for the second time. Around 40 days ago, he was also given poison. And recently, on March 19 or 22, he was given this (poison) again, which worsened his condition,” said Afzal, an MP from Ghazipur, when his brother was recently hospitalized.
His family members had previously expressed concerns that Mukhtar Ansari could be killed in a staged encounter.
On March 13, Mukhtar Ansari was sentenced to life imprisonment in a case related to the use of forged documents to obtain an arms license in 1990. This was the eighth case in which the former five-time MLA had been convicted and sentenced by a court in Uttar Pradesh in the past two years.
