Pak man in Belgaum jail fears lynching by inmates

Suspected terrorist Muhammed Fahad who is lodged in Hindalga Jail in Belgaum, is worried he will be lynched to death by fellow prisoners in revenge for the killing of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.

According to sources, Fahad wanted to call his mother Zubeida in Karachi to share his worries, when his cellphone was seized by jail authorities.

The jail authorities, it is learnt restricted his free movement in jail by shifting him to special barrack after Sarabjit’s death. Irked by the restriction, Fahad had allegedly threatened to go on a hunger strike.

Fahad, a science graduate from Karachi University, and Mohammed Ali Hussain were arrested by police in Mysore on October 26, 2006 on charges of having fake passports. It was revealed by police after 3 days that both are suspected members of Al-Badr, a militant organisation.

According to the chargesheet filed by Mysore police, Fahad had approached a flying school in Bangalore for pilot training, at the behest of Al-Badr leaders in Pakistan. The charge-sheet also stated that Fahad was involved in a plot to attack Vikas Soudha in Bangalore and the Central Institute of Languages in Mysore.

He had drawn attention of police and judicial circles in Mysore, by rejecting the offer of free legal aid by judge Uma of the III Additional Sessions Court in Mysore on August 5, 2008. He had said he will argue his case himself. However, he was given legal consultation by an advocate of Mysore city.

Despite his denial of involving in any plots or terror activities, he was sent to Gulbarga central jail and was transferred to Hindalga in November 2012, for security reason. He was found with a mobile phone during a flash raid conducted by prison officials 5 days ago, and in protest he launched a hunger strike.

It is also said that he protested at being lodged next to the barracks in which prisoners of Dandu Palya gang and forest brigand Veerappan’s aides.

Some fellow prisoners say Fahad is an intelligent and sensitive person. Sources in Belgaum district hospital said that he refused treatment on Saturday evening.

“A team involving jail officials, doctors, psychiatrists convinced him after a long discussion and now he has agreed to be treated,” they said. Jail officials are refusing to speak to the media.