Who was ex-BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murdered by Mukhtar Ansari?

NewsBharati    29-Mar-2024 12:04:22 PM
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Jailed Indian gangster and politician Mukhtar Ansari, who faced numerous criminal charges, including murder, died on Thursday (Mar 28) due to cardiac arrest. He has been convicted in several cases over the years and his political career and criminal background made him a controversial figure in Indian politics.
 
Krishnanand Rai murdered by Mukhtar Ansari 

Ansari, in April 2023, received a 10-year prison sentence for the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai.

Who was BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai?


BJP leader Krishnanand Rai served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 2002 to 2005 after securing victory on the BJP ticket from the Mohammadabad seat in UP. Notably, he contested from the same assembly seat in 1999 but he failed to sway the voters at that time.

His victory from the seat in 2002 did not go down well with Mukhtar Ansari and his elder brother and BSP leader Afzal Ansari in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Therefore, he was murdered on 29 November 2005 by Mukhtar Ansari's gang, while he was attending a wedding in his native village. The killing was one of the most sensational murders in the history of Uttar Pradesh. The assassination was carried out by a group of assailants armed with AK-47 assault rifles. The police had recovered more than 500 bullet shells from the spot while 21 bullets were recovered from Rai’s body alone.
 
 

Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Afzal Ansari were named as the primary conspirators in the FIR filed in the case. The aftermath of Rai's assassination triggered widespread outrage and demands for justice. Former Chief Minister and now Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led protests in Varanasi.

There were celebratory fireworks at Rai’s house as the news of Ansari’s death came out.

"I have come to know that he has died in Banda jail. As the media is saying he [Ansari] has died due to a heart attack. I believe this is the blessing of Baba Gorakhnath. Justice has been served. Somewhere I think it is Allah’s justice in the holy month of Ramzan that a dreaded criminal like Mukhtar Ansari has died…" BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai’s son Piyush Rai said.
 
 

Similarly, wife of Krishnanand Rai, Alka Rai said its blessings from Baba. "What can I say? This is the blessing of the Baba. I used to pray to him for justice and the justice has been served today. We never celebrated Holi after the incident (the murder), I felt that today is Holi for us."
 
Krishnanand Rai Mukhtar Ansari BJP gangster Uttar Pradesh Lucknow