"The Former Railway Worker Who Challenged Mukhtar Ansari, the Gangster-Politician"

"The ex-railway employee discovered that the land was owned by the state government. Without delay, he initiated legal action against Mukhtar Ansari and his associates."

The initial catalyst was the theft of 2,000 bricks, followed by a land seizure, both allegedly orchestrated by the associates of Mukhtar Ansari, a notorious gangster-turned-politician. Despite retiring in 2003, Harish Chandra Vishwakarma experienced no respite. In that same year, he lodged a land-grabbing lawsuit against the local strongman, marking the commencement of a series of legal battles against the influential figure.

 Mukhtar Ansari, who passed away due to a heart attack in a Uttar Pradesh hospital at the age of 63, spent much of his time from 2005 until his demise incarcerated in various prisons across Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. A five-time victor of the Mau assembly seat, twice under the Bahujan Samaj Party banner, Mukhtar Ansari wielded significant political influence.

Recalling the events, Mr. Vishwakarma, now 82 and residing in Mau, recounted the usurpation of land adjacent to his residence by Mukhtar Ansari's associates. They constructed a school on the disputed land and invited Mukhtar Ansari to inaugurate it. However, to pave the road leading to the school, his men allegedly pilfered the bricks purchased by Mr. Vishwakarma for his own house. During the school's inauguration, Mukhtar Ansari was symbolically weighed in coins, illustrating his perceived dominance.

Upon investigation, the retired railway employee discovered the land's rightful ownership by the state government, prompting him to initiate legal proceedings against Mukhtar Ansari and his cohorts. When asked about the gangster's demise, Mr. Vishwakarma philosophically remarked, "We all have to die one day.

Utilizing his pension to finance the legal battle, Mr. Vishwakarma persisted despite threats and assaults on his family members. Eventually emerging victorious after years of struggle, the school was shuttered, and the property was reclaimed by the local municipality. Though the stolen bricks were never recovered, Mr. Vishwakarma, who endured the loss of his wife in 2018, managed to construct his home.