Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest

Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari died of cardiac arrest on Thursday. He was lodged at the Banda district jail in Uttar Pradesh.

At around 8.25 pm, Ansari fell unconscious and was taken to the Rani Durgawati Medical College in Banda, reported The Indian Express.

“A team of nine doctors gave him immediate medical assistance,” read a statement by the hospital. “Despite best efforts, he died due to cardiac arrest.”

Ansari had a total of 65 cases against him. He had been in jail since 2005 after he surrendered to the police in connection with a communal riot that took place in the town of Mau.

On March 14, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court for MPs and MLAs in the 34-year-old Ghazipur fake arms licence case. This was Ansari’s seventh conviction in the past 18 months.

After his death, police were deployed in large numbers around the Rani Durgawati Medical College and prohibitory orders were issued across the state.

Heavy police presence was also reported in Mau, Varanasi and Ghazipur, where Ansari had been influential for decades, reported The Hindu. The police also conducted flag marches in the districts.

Allegations of poisoning

Meanwhile, Ansari’s son Umar Ansari alleged his father was poisoned in prison and said that the family would move court.

“Two days ago I came to meet him, but I was not allowed,”...

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