Bahraich: Former BSP MLA Waris Ali drowns in fish pond

Former BSP MLA Waris Ali died after he mysteriously slipped into a fish pond in his own house in Bahraich on Sunday morning and drowned.

Ali was an MLA from 2007 to 2012 from Nanpara in Bahraich. Later, After losing in the 2012 assembly polls, he quit the BSP to join the Congress. He lost again in the 2017 Assembly polls on Congress ticket.

According to the Bahraich police, the former MLA was out on his usual morning walk at around 5.30 am on his residence-cum-farm house. He used to walk around a fish pond, situated in his residential compound. Police said he probably lost his balance and slipped into the pond when he was taking the rounds. 

Police claimed that he did not know swimming and drowned in the pond. His body was found lying in the pond by a servant who informed the family members and the police. Later, police fished out his body and sent it for post-mortem.

“We are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death and rule out any foul play,” said Sabha Raj, the Superintendent of Police, Bahraich. The SP claimed that prima facie it looked like death due to accidental drowning but the police will investigate the case from all angles since there were no witnesses to the incident

The 55-year-old former MLA was a popular minority leader in the district and was once close to the BSP Supremo Mayawati. Family sources claimed that he had sought ticket from the Congress to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The UPCC Chief Raj Babbar condoled the death of the party leader.