Prayagraj, May 9 (IANS): The Allahabad High Court has directed the state's Director General of Police (DGP) to tighten security arrangements in jail and while gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is produced in court.

The court also stated that the media should be banned from interviewing the undertrial prisoner.

The direction assumes significance in light of the killing of jailed gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, in full media glare, while being brought for a medical check-up in Prayagraj.

The court said: "It was not averse to the media taking interviews of undertrial prisoners. But in view of the recent incident of the murder of undertrial prisoners by criminals disguised as media personnel, this restriction has to be imposed in the interest of the safety of the prisoner, which is being heard by the Supreme Court."

The order was issued by the division bench of Justices K.J. Thakar and Shiv Shankar Prasad on a plea filed by Ansari's wife Afsan.