By Muslim Mirror Desk
Action has been taken against two Uttar Pradesh police constables for allegedly posting comments on social media in favour of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died last week, officials said on Wednesday. Ansari, a five-time MLA, passed away at Rani Durgawati Medical College after being transferred from Banda jail due to deteriorating health. He was laid to rest in Ghazipur under tight security.
A day after Ansari’s burial, police constable Faiyaz Khan, stationed at a Lucknow police station, allegedly made comments supporting the gangster-politician on his WhatsApp status and raised doubts about his death. Upon the viral spread of his WhatsApp status, local authorities relocated Khan from his current posting to the police lines. “As the model code of conduct is in force, permission has been sought from the Election Commission for his suspension,” a senior officer stated.
In Chandauli, constable Aftab Alam, based at the police lines, wrote a Facebook post supporting Ansari and referred to him as a “messiah.” Additional Superintendent of Police, Chandauli, Anil Kumar Singh, confirmed that Alam breached the social media policy of the Uttar Pradesh police and the state government’s conduct rules. Alam has been suspended, and departmental action has been initiated against him.
Mukhtar Ansari had been incarcerated in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005, facing over 60 criminal cases. A post-mortem attributed his death to cardiac arrest. However, a magisterial inquiry was launched due to concerns raised by opposition parties and Ansari’s family, who alleged that he died from “slow poisoning” while in Banda jail.