Mukhtar Ansari Dies of Cardiac Arrest Amid 'Poisoning' Allegations: A Brief Chronology of Gangster's Health Troubles

Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari on Thursday passed away at the Banda Medical College in Uttar Pradesh following a cardiac arrest. The former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader was taken to the hospital earlier after his health deteriorated, his lawyer said.

The news of Ansari’s death came amid allegations by the gangster’s family that he was poisoned in jail. Ansari was admitted to the ICU at a hospital in Banda early Tuesday with a complaint of abdominal pain. His brother and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, who reached the hospital, alleged that he was given poison in jail.

Security was tightened in several districts of Uttar Pradesh and prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed across the state and teams of the CRPF along with the local police have been deployed in Banda, Mau, Ghazipur and Varanasi.

Meanwhile, a panel of two doctors will conduct the post-mortem on Friday which will be videographed after which Ansari’s body will be handed over to his son, Umar Ansari.

Here’s A Brief Chronology of Mukhtar Ansari’s Death:

• March 19: Jailed gangster Mukhtar Ansari alleged poisoned food was being given to him in jail.
• March 20: His lawyer made the claims public.
• March 25: Mukhtar Ansari’s condition deteriorated after he reportedly complained of abdominal pain.
• March 26: Ansari was shifted to a hospital from Banda jail.
• March 26 evening: Ansari was discharged and sent back to jail after doctors said there was nothing serious.
• March 27: Ansari’s family approached MLA/MP court alleging conspiracy to kill him inside the jail.
• March 28 afternoon: Ansari again complained of abdominal pain after his health deteriorated. DM, SP reached Banda Jail in the evening
• March 28 around 8 PM: Mukhtar fell unconscious and was immediately rushed to the hospital.
• March 28 around 10:30 PM: Mukhtar was declared dead following a cardiac arrest.
• March 29: A panel of two doctors will conduct the post-mortem on Friday which will be videographed.

Ansari, 63, was a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat and was 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.