Mukhtar Ansari gets life imprisonment: Who was Awadhesh Rai? Things to know about murder case
A court in Varanasi on Monday awarded life imprisonment to gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder case.
A court in Varanasi on Monday awarded life imprisonment to gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder case. Ansari - a dreaded gangster-turned-politician in Uttar Pradesh - had killed Awadhesh Rai on August 3, 1991.
Who was Awadesh Rai?
Awadesh Rai was the brother of Congress leader and brother of former MLA Ajay Rai - who is now a regional chief of his party's Uttar Pradesh unit.
Welcoming the court's judgment, Rai said that it is the “end of our 32-year struggle against a notorious criminal.” “I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter, and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother,” he said.
Also read: Who is Mukhtar Ansari: Gangster-politician sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment
He also asserted that those who stand up to gangsters and fight will get justice. “We received threats. I have been demanding security and it should be enhanced. If something happens to me, the BJP government will be responsible,” Rai added.
About the murder case
Awadhesh Rai was shot dead outside Ajay Rai's house in Varanasi on August 3, 1991. According to lawyers, the two brothers were standing at the gate of their house around 1 am when some assailants including Mukhtar Ansari, came in a car and shot Awadhesh. In retaliation, Ajay fired from his licensed pistol but the assailants fled leaving the car behind.
Awadhesh was immediately rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, however, the doctors declared him dead.
Soon after his brother's murder, Rai filed an FIR at Chetganj police station in Varanasi in which he named Mukhtar Ansari, and MLAs Abdul Kalam, Bhim Singh, Kamlesh Singh, and Rakesh Srivastava alias Rakesh Justice - out of which Kalam and Singh died and others were lodged in jail.
