Lucknow: Action has been initiated against two constables of Uttar Pradesh Police Force for allegedly their comments in favour of convicted gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari who died last week. The two constables- Faiyaz Khan, posted at a police station in Lucknow and constable Aftab Alam- posted in Chandauli, have been accused of posting comments in favour of Ansari on their respective social media profiles. 

Police constable Faiyaz Khan, posted at a police station in Lucknow, allegedly made certain comments in favour of the gangster-politician on his WhatsApp status and also raised doubts over his death. According to reports, after the WhatsApp status went viral, local authorities removed the constable from his current posting and sent him to the police lines.

Aftab Alam, posted at theChandauli, wrote a Facebook post in favour of Ansari and termed him a "messiah". He was later suspended and departmental action has also been initiated against him. Additional Superintendent of Police, Chandauli, Anil Kumar Singh said the constable violated the social media policy of the Uttar Pradesh police and the state government's conduct rules. 

Judicial Inquiry Ordered in Ansari's Death 

Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA, died last week at Rani Durgawati Medical College after being taken there from Banda jail when his health deteriorated. He was laid to rest in Ghazipur amid a blanket of heavy security. 

Ansari had been behind bars in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005 and had over 60 criminal cases against him. A post-mortem confirmed that he died of cardiac arrest. However, a judicial inquiry was by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Banda after the opposition parties raised questions over Ansari's death. Ansari's family has also alleged that he died due to "slow poisoning" in Banda jail. 

(With Inputs From PTI)