Mukhtar Ansari, a former gangster who later became a politician, died on Thursday in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district after suffering a heart attack. Jail authorities reported that his health worsened after he broke his Ramzan fast. Ansari, aged 60, had served as an MLA from Mau in Uttar Pradesh for five terms and had more than 60 pending cases against him. He was in jail in the Banda district jail. Despite being born into a family with deep ties to India’s independence movement, Ansari’s transition into the criminal underworld represented a significant deviation from his family’s esteemed legacy.

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Mukhtar Ansari, born in 1960 in Yusufpur, Uttar Pradesh, embarked on a controversial and captivating journey from the realms of crime to the echelons of power.

What is the family background of Mukhtar Ansari?

His family, known for its significant role in India’s struggle for independence and subsequent political landscape, included his paternal grandfather, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, a prominent leader in the Indian National Congress who served as its president in 1927. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari was previously a member of the Muslim League but later distanced himself from its separatist agenda. Additionally, he held the position of Chancellor at Jamia Millia Islamia until his demise in 1936.

On his maternal side, Brigadier Mohammad Usman, Mukhtar Ansari’s grandfather, distinguished himself as a decorated officer in the Indian Army. He sacrificed his life in the Nowshera district of Jammu and Kashmir during a conflict with Pakistan in 1948, posthumously receiving the Maha Vir Chakra.

Mukhtar’s entry into the world of crime

Despite his esteemed family background, Mukhtar opted for a markedly different path. He began his criminal career in the 1980s amidst the lawlessness of Purvanchal, a region known for its criminal gangs competing for government contracts.

Rapidly ascending through the ranks, Mukhtar Ansari became synonymous with terror throughout Uttar Pradesh. His involvement in numerous criminal activities, such as murder, attempted murder, armed riots, and fraud, resulted in his conviction on multiple charges.

Ansari’s initial serious offense was his involvement in the murder of Sachchidanand Rai in 1988, stemming from a land dispute in Ghazipur. This marked the start of a lengthy and grim journey that entangled him in gang conflicts, particularly against rival mafia figure Brijesh Singh who implicated him in the killings of Kapil Dev Singh in April 2009, contractor Ajay Prakash Singh in August 2009, and Ram Singh Maurya.

In this era, his convoy was ambushed in 2002, resulting in the deaths of three of his associates and causing further bloodshed in the area.

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