New Delhi, Sept 5: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) has raised serious concerns over the safety of its incarcerated leader and sitting Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid, following alarming revelations during a recent legal meeting with his counsel, Advocate Javeed Hubbi.
According to Adv. Hubbi, Er Rashid claimed that Tihar Jail authorities have devised disturbing tactics to harass Kashmiri prisoners, including the deliberate lodging of male eunuch inmates in their barracks. These individuals are allegedly encouraged to provoke, intimidate, and create a hostile environment for the Kashmiri detainees.
In a shocking disclosure, Er Rashid recounted a near-fatal attack, stating that a group of these inmates pushed and threw a gate on him.
“It was a miraculous escape. Had the gate hit him directly, it could have been fatal. This was nothing short of a deliberate attempt to cause serious physical harm,” Advocate Hubbi said.
Er Rashid also revealed that other Kashmiri inmates, including Ayoub Pathan (Beerwah), Bilal Mir (Qamarwari), Amir Gojri (Srinagar), and Arshid Tanch (Kupwara), have been subjected to harassment, assault, and humiliation. He alleged that the abuse intensifies during religious observances, particularly when Kashmiri inmates offer their nimaz, with attempts made to provoke and disturb them deliberately.
Most disturbingly, Er Rashid claimed that some of the male eunuch inmates placed in the same barracks have been declared HIV positive, and their placement appears intentional and targeted. He further alleged that notorious gangsters within Tihar Jail are backing this campaign, which he says has been ongoing for the past three months, targeting Kashmiri detainees systematically.
The AIP has expressed deep outrage and demanded:
- An independent judicial probe into the alleged incidents
- Strict accountability of Tihar Jail authorities
- Immediate assurances for the safety, dignity, and rights of Er Rashid and all other Kashmiri detainees
“These are not mere complaints. They represent a potentially criminal campaign of harassment and abuse against a sitting MP and other Kashmiri prisoners,” the party stated, calling on human rights organizations and the judiciary to intervene urgently.— [KNT]
