Engineer Rashid attacked in Tihar, his party claims Kashmiri inmates being harassed

SRINAGAR: Engineer Rashid “narrowly escaped” when a group of inmates in Tihar Jail pushed him and threw a gate at him, Awami Ittehad Party ( AIP ) headed by the Baramulla MP alleged in a statement.

“Had it hit him directly, it could have been fatal. This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to physically harm him,” the AIP statement claimed.

Tihar sources confirmed that the MP was attacked by transgender inmates following an altercation about a week ago, and sustained minor injuries. He is currently lodged in jail no. 3 of Tihar, which houses three transgender inmates.

The exact reason behind the altercation was under investigation, the sources said. The prison authorities, however, dismissed allegations of a murder conspiracy as baseless.

Rashid’s party alleged that Kashmiris in Tihar were deliberately housed with “male transgenders”, who were encouraged to provoke and attack them.

According to the AIP statement, the MP disclosed to his lawyer during a recent meeting that a “systematic campaign” of targeting Kashmiri detainees over the past three months had been started. Transgender inmates who were HIV positive and had the backing of “notorious gangsters” inside Tihar had been intentionally placed with Kashmiris, Rashid told his legal counsel.

Citing his testimonial, AIP alleged that other Kashmiri inmates in Tihar had also been attacked and humiliated, and that the harassment intensified whenever prisoners began offering prayers, with “deliberate attempts made to disturb and provoke them”.

The party demanded an independent probe into the matter and immediate guarantees for the safety and dignity of Rashid and all Kashmiri detainees.

(With inputs from New Delhi)