Mysterious death of second witness in BJP MLA murder case

Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, Sep 8 (UNI) Manoj Gaur, a witness in the sensational murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai last year, died here last night in mysterious circumstances.

Manoj was the second witness in the case to die in such circumstances. Sole eye-witness of the incident Shashi Kant Rai died one and a half months earlier.

According to police sources, Manoj was admitted to district hospital last evening, but he died in the night. Doctors said Manoj died due to branco pneumonia.

Neither the security provided to Manoj by the district administration was with him when he was admitted to hospital nor a post-mortem was conducted on his body before handing it over to his family.

CBI was handed over the sensational murder case in July on the orders of the Allahabad High Court. After the agency took over the case the sole eyewitness Shashikant Rai died. Rai was found in a drunken state and was rushed to hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Krishnanand's widow and BJP MLA Alka Rai had lodged a strong protest on the death of Shashikant and charged independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari, prime accused in the murder case, of eliminating the eyewitness.

Mukhtar along with elder brother and ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and some of his relatives is in jail in connection with the murder.

Sources said Manoj had overheard discussion between Mukhtar and Afzal on their plan to murder Krishnanand on October 25, 2005.

Krishnanand was murdered on November 30, 2005 along with seven of his supporters here.

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