Lucknow, March 30 -- Former gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest at the Kali Bagh burial ground on Saturday amidst strict security measures enforced by the local administration.
The body was transported to the family's ancestral burial ground, located approximately half a kilometer from their residence, where a grave had been prepared on Friday. Elaborate security arrangements were observed both outside Ansari's residence and at the burial ground.
Ansari, who succumbed to a cardiac arrest on Thursday, had his body brought to his hometown during the late hours of Friday, as confirmed by family sources. The burial rites were conducted at the residence before the body was taken to the Kali Bagh burial ground in a procession led by family members, including his son Umar Ansari and brother Afzal Ansari. Despite restricted entry, a sizable crowd accompanied the 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 both the Ansari residence and the burial ground.
DIG of Varanasi Range, O.P. Singh, assured the deployment of adequate police force throughout the area to maintain order and safety. "The Ansari family is cooperating with the police. People have been coming since Friday night, and announcements were made to ensure that there is no overcrowding at any point," stated a police officer. Mukhtar Ansari, who had been lodged in Banda jail, was rushed to Rani Durgawati Medical College on Thursday night when his health deteriorated. He passed away during treatment at the hospital. Following the post-mortem on Friday, a convoy carrying Ansari's body departed Banda for his native Ghazipur, covering a 400-kilometer route via several districts of Uttar Pradesh, under heavy security escort.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.