Ghazipur witnessed a sea of people at the funeral of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at the Kali Bagh burial ground on Saturday. The local administration ensured tight security measures around Ansari's residence and the burial ground.
Mukhtar Ansari's funeral ceremony took place on March 30 after his mortal remains were brought to his hometown late Friday night.
Ghazipur witnessed a sea of people at the funeral of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at the Kali Bagh burial ground on Saturday. The local administration ensured tight security measures around Ansari's residence and the burial ground.
According to PTI, Ansari's funeral ceremony took place in the morning of March 30. His mortal remains were brought to his hometown late Friday night.
Mukhtar Ansari was a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat and had been behind bars in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005. He had over 60 criminal cases pending against him. He was sentenced in eight cases since September 2022 by different courts in Uttar Pradesh and was lodged in the Banda jail. His name was on the list of 66 gangsters issued by Uttar Pradesh Police last year.
Mukhtar Ansari died due to cardiac arrest at Rani Durgawati Medical College on March 28.
Ansari was was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night when his health condition deteriorated and passed away during treatment.
Ansari's son Umar ansari and his family have alleged that the reason behind his death was 'slow poisoning' during his stay in Banda jail.
Opposition parties raised questions and urged for investigation into Ansari's death.
In a post on X on Friday, Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA and Mukhtar Ansari's nephew Suhaib Ansari informed: "My uncle Mukhtar Ansari passed away last night. Tomorrow, at 10 am, he will be buried in our Kali Bagh graveyard of Yusufpur Mohammadabad (Ghazipur). All of you are requested to pray for the forgiveness of the deceased."
After the post-mortem on Friday, a convoy carrying Ansari's body left Banda for his native place in Ghazipur at around 5:30 pm amid heavy security.
Security personnel in large numbers was deployed around the Ansari residence and the burial ground, which is located at distance of about a kilometre and a half. DIG Varanasi OP Singh told PTI, "Adequate forces have been deployed at every nook and corner. We are also coordinating with his (Mukhtar Ansari's) family members."
Mukhtar Ansari laid to rest at ancestral burial ground in Ghazipur's Kali Bagh burial ground which is located around half a kilometer away from their home, where a grave had been prepared the day before.
Mukhtar Ansari's son Umar Ansari performed the last-rite rituals at the burial ground.
However, Mukhtar Ansari's elder son and MLA Abbas Ansari could not attend the funeral. He is lodged in Kasganj jail in connection with criminal cases.
Afzal Ansari, elder brother of Mukhtar Ansari, reaches the Kali Bagh cemetery in Ghazipur's Mohammadabad.
Former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin's son Osama also arrived in Ghazipur to attend the funeral.
A large crowd accompanied the procession and some also raised slogans.