103-year-old freedom fighter dead

Ranchi, Jan 1 (UNI) Freedom fighter Maula Baksh died today following prolonged illness at Nanidi, his ancestral village, in Jharkhand's Deoghar district.

Baksh, also the father of Congress MP Furquan Ansari, was 103.

Despite being a freedom fighter, he never availed any of the facilities provided by the Centre and preferred to stay in his native village and work for the downtrodden.

Baksh is survived by two sons, including the parliamentarian from the Godda constituency in the state.

His funeral would be conducted later in the day, family sources said.

UNI PRS DPM JT KP1320