Former gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest at the Kali Bagh burial ground in Ghazipur on Saturday amidst tight security arrangements made by the local administration.
The mortal remains of Ansari were brought to the family’s ancestral burial ground, situated approximately half a kilometer from their residence, where preparations had been made since Friday.
Enhanced security measures were implemented both outside Ansari’s home and at the burial ground.
The 63-year-old, who had been incarcerated at Banda jail, succumbed to a cardiac arrest on Thursday. Mukhtar Ansari’s body arrived in Ghazipur during the late hours of Friday and the funeral rites were conducted at his residence before the procession commenced towards the burial ground.
Led by close family members, including his son Umar Ansari and brother Afzal Ansari, the funeral procession made its way to the Kali Bagh burial ground, accompanied by a sizable crowd, despite restricted access, with some attendees chanting slogans.
Mukhtar Ansari’s body was kept at Bada Phatak, the ancestral house, for the last darshan. Umar sprinkled itra on the body. The Namaz-e-Janaza was held at Prince Talkies ground. It was here that an appeal was made to the people not to go ahead and let only the family members go to the cemetery.
Despite restricted entry, a sizable crowd accompanied the funeral procession, with some attendees raising slogans. Police faced challenges in crowd management as some attempted to force their way into the burial ground.
Security personnel, including paramilitary forces, were deployed in significant numbers around Ansari’s residence and the burial ground.
At the time of his passing, Mukhtar Ansari still faced 21 pending cases, reflecting the legal challenges he confronted over the years. Notably, he had been convicted in eight cases by various courts in Uttar Pradesh, with one of the most prominent being the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Krishnanand Rai and six others in the Bhawarkol area of Ghazipur district in November 2005.
PROBE BEGINS
Meanwhile, the team formed for the judicial inquiry into the death of Mukhtar Ansari reached Banda jail on Saturday morning. The team includes Banda District Judge, District Magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal, SP Ankur Aggarwal and the additional district judge.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Garima Singh has been named the investigation officer in the case. The investigation started on Saturday under Singh’s supervision.
