Last rites of Mukhtar Ansari to be held amid heavy police presence

The Ghazipur residence of the late Mukhtar Ansari, a gangster-turned-politician who passed away following a cardiac arrest, became the center of heightened security as the district administration deployed a heavy police force for the arrival of his body. The last rites of Mukhtar Ansari are scheduled for Saturday, as confirmed by his elder brother, Sibgatullah Ansari. Addressing the delay in the procession, Sibgatullah Ansari expressed, “We received the body after some delay so the last rites cannot be performed tonight. It will be done tomorrow morning. I request everybody to pray for him,” in a statement to ANI on Friday.

Mukhtar Ansari’s demise occurred at a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, subsequent to which his body was transported from Banda to Ghazipur after a post-mortem examination at Banda Medical College and Hospital.

In the wake of Ansari’s death, a magisterial investigation comprising a three-member team has been initiated as per the directives of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Banda. A panel of two doctors conducted the post-mortem, which was meticulously recorded on video.

The Ansari family has voiced their distrust in the local medical, government, and administrative systems, with Umar Ansari, Mukhtar’s son, specifically requesting that the post-mortem examination be conducted by doctors at AIIMS, Delhi. “It (post-mortem) is their procedure. I have written a letter saying that it should be done by doctors at AIIMS Delhi. We don’t trust the medical system, government and administration here…You know why I am saying this…Panchnama is done. District Magistrate has to make a decision. Let’s see what he decides. The postmortem has not begun…,” Umar Ansari told ANI.

The family’s suspicion over Mukhtar Ansari’s death being natural has led them to seek legal avenues for investigation into what they believe could be an orchestrated murder. “We hope that the court will help investigate the suspicions that we are expressing. We will consult our legal team. We are confident that this is not a natural death but an orchestrated murder,” Umar Ansari added.

Amid these developments, Sibgatullah Ansari revealed that the administration did not inform him of his brother’s death, which he learned about through media reports. This incident has further fueled the family’s grievances against the authorities, culminating in their decision to approach the judiciary with allegations that Mukhtar Ansari was poisoned.

In the months leading up to his death, Mukhtar Ansari faced legal challenges, including a conviction and a 10-year prison sentence in April 2023 for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2024 for using forged documents to obtain an arms licence in 1990, highlighting his controversial and tumultuous life and career.

The death of Mukhtar Ansari and the subsequent events underscore the complexities and sensitivities surrounding figures with a controversial past. The family’s insistence on a post-mortem by AIIMS, Delhi, and their allegations point to deep-seated mistrust in local systems, prompting a broader discussion on transparency and accountability in such high-profile cases. The judicial inquiry into Ansari’s death could provide a crucial examination of the circumstances leading to his demise, offering closure to the family and the public while reinforcing the importance of due process and justice, even in the most contentious cases.