Arrest of Mukhtar's henchmen rocks UP Assembly

Lucknow, Feb 26: The issue of arrest of mafia don Mukhtar Ansari's 21 henchmen rocked the Uttar Pradesh Assembly today, when his elder brother and SP member Sibatullah Ansari expressed threat on his life.

Supported by the Congress and other party leaders, Mr Ansari said the police was targetting him and his supporters by lodging fake cases against his 21 supporters in the state capital, while they were coming from Ghazipur.

The leaders said it was an insult of legislator adding that in democracy, such high-handedness by the police should not be allowed.

Claiming threat on his life and other members of his family, Mr Ansari demanded adequate security cover.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma said a convoy was intercepted by STF and the police on February 24 and 21 people were arrested after they were found carrying a large number of licensed firearms.

Contradicting that the MLA was insulted by the police during their operation, he said the police was doing their job and anyone violating the law would not be spared.

UNI