The shutters are closed in Mukhtar Ansari’s hometown of Ghazipur as residents await the arrival of his body

Shops in Mohammadabad Yusufpur township in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh remained shuttered on Friday, mourning the passing of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died of a heart attack a day earlier.

Following the completion of the postmortem, Mukhtar Ansari’s remains were transported on Friday to Ghazipur under heavy security from Banda, approximately 400 km away from Ghazipur, according to police officials.

The ambulance carrying his body was escorted by police vehicles to ensure security along the 400-kilometer route through various districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Police officials confirmed that Mukhtar Ansari’s son, Umar Ansari and Abbas Ansari’s wife were inside the ambulance with the body.

The state government had planned the route in advance for transporting the body after the gangster’s death from a heart attack on Thursday.

The convoy will pass through districts including Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Kaushambi, and Varanasi before reaching Ghazipur.

According to Mukhtar Ansari’s family members, the cremation will take place in Ghazipur. A significant number of security personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

People were observed waiting for the arrival of the body of the five-time MLA, who was rushed to a hospital from Banda jail on Thursday after his health deteriorated. Ansari passed away at the hospital during treatment.

A grave has been prepared at the Ansari family’s burial ground in Kali Bagh for the last rites, said Circle Officer (CO) Atar Singh and Inspector Pawan Kumar Upadhyaya, attached to the Mohammadabad police station.

They mentioned that Ansari’s family members have informed them that the last rites will be performed on Friday if the body arrives in Ghazipur by 10 pm. Otherwise, the last rites will be held on Saturday morning.

Ansari’s lawyer Naseem Haider stated that the body is expected to arrive in Ghazipur late at night.

Ansari’s son Umar wrote a letter to the Banda district magistrate, alleging that his father was murdered and demanding that the post-mortem be conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

“We have no confidence in receiving justice from the administration and the doctors’ team in Banda,” Umar Ansari wrote in the letter.

However, Ansari’s political opponents have reacted strongly to his death, stating that “you reap what you sow,” and claiming that justice has been served.

People began gathering at Ansari’s residence in Mohammadabad Yusufpur early in the morning.

Locals gathered outside the residence of the incarcerated gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died of a heart attack at a hospital in Banda, at his hometown in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur district.

Mukhtar Ansari’s son Umar claimed that his father was slowly poisoned in jail.

Locals gathered outside the residence of the incarcerated gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died of a heart attack at a hospital in Banda, at his hometown in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur district.

A court in Uttar Pradesh has ordered a judicial inquiry into Mukhtar Ansari’s death.

Gulab Ram, the former Ghazipur unit chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), told PTI Videos that “people are heartbroken.”

“Shops are closed. He (Ansari) used to be with people in their happiness and sorrow,” Ram said.

Lohatia Sanjeev Kumar Gihar, the councillor of ward number 25, informed reporters that “no formal announcement was made for the closure of shops. People have voluntarily shut their businesses out of sympathy. I myself was a victim of Mukhtar Ansari. It is karma.”

Anand Rai, the nephew of Mohammadabad’s former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai, who was assassinated in 2005, told reporters that “justice may be delayed, but it will not be denied.”

In 2005, Ansari and his family members were accused of involvement in Krishnanand Rai’s murder.

Locals gathered outside the residence of the incarcerated gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died of a heart attack at a hospital in Banda, at his hometown in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur district.

Mukhtar Ansari’s brother alleged that he was poisoned in jail.

Security personnel have been placed on high alert in Mau, with prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) issued in Mau, Ghazipur, Ballia, and surrounding areas.

According to reports from Bhadohi, security measures have been intensified along the national highway as Ansari’s body will be transported through this route.

Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Pandey, Circle Officer (CO) Traffic, stated that the convoy carrying the body will pass through densely populated areas along the highway, and a large number of security personnel have been deployed to prevent any disturbances.

The administration is on full alert in Ballia, the district adjacent to Ghazipur.

District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar stated that all administrative officers have been instructed to remain vigilant.

Additional Superintendent of Police Durga Prasad Tiwari mentioned that all police officers have been directed to conduct regular patrols in the area.

Meanwhile, in Badaun, Shivpal Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) candidate for the Badaun seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, called for the court to investigate Ansari’s death under “suspicious” circumstances.

Yadav stated that he has a good relationship with Ansari’s family.

Ansari’s family had fought for the country’s independence, the SP leader added, suggesting that the court should take suo-motu cognizance of his death.