Lucknow, March 29 (IANS): Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh are demanding a high-level probe into the death of jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who had earlier alleged that he was being given slow poison in his food in jail.

In a post on X, Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati said that a high-level inquiry should be set up to probe the allegations levelled by Mukhtar Ansari so that the facts come out in the open.

Samajwadi General Secretary Prof Ram Gopal Yadav has sought a judicial probe into the death of Mukhtar Ansari. He posted on X that the apprehension expressed by Ansari had proved to be true and the circumstances of his death were a matter of concern. He said that Ansari had informed the court about his being given poison.

Congress leader Surendra Rajput said, “Mukhtar Ansari's death in the jail raises a big question on the BJP-led UP government. This should be investigated thoroughly so that everyone gets to know what is going on.”

He further said that other jail inmates like Munna Bajrangi, Sanjeev Maheshwari, Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were also killed either in jail or in court or in police custody.