Date:01/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/01/stories/2008110155491200.htm

National

Violence in jail: two terror suspects victims of communal attack

Sudipto Mondal

MANGALORE: Suspected terrorists Fakeer Bava and Rafique, lodged in the district sub-jail here, were admitted to the Government Wenlock Hospital after they were assaulted by six inmates, who broke into their quarantined cell at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday.

According to the First Information Report filed with the Barke police station, a group of inmates snatched the keys to the cell from quarantine section warden Sanjeeva Shetty, and while some of them physically restrained him, the others proceeded to bludgeon the suspected terrorists with stones and blunt weapons. The names of the accused were given as Sandeep Shetty, Rajesh, Sandeep Poojary, Ganesh Poojary, Vinod Poojary and Nagaraja.

The hospital authorities said Fakeer Bava had lacerations on his head and Rafique had a broken shoulder. Both had bruises all over their bodies.

Jail authorities, who did not wish to be named, told The Hindu that the attackers acted allegedly at the instance of Mahendra Kumar, former Bajrang Dal State convenor, who is also lodged in the jail in connection with the recent attacks on churches in some parts of the State.

“Mahendra Kumar has been conducting ideology and indoctrination sessions for the jail’s Hindu inmates. The accused are part of a group that recently took an oath in the name of Hindutva at a secret ceremony in the jail,” the official said.

Jail Superintendent Eshwar Naik admitted that there was a “minor scuffle” in the jail early on Friday in which Mr. Sanjeeva Shetty was surrounded and threatened allegedly by the group.

Thursday’s attack is the sixth, alleged to be by Bajrang Dal activists, against fellow inmates after Mahendra Kumar’s arrest on September 20, according to the police, hospital and jail authorities. Of the previous five attacks, three were on Muslim inmates.In the first attack on September 23, Jalaluddin was attacked allegedly by over 25 persons arrested in connection with the recent attacks on churches.

On October 2, Farooq was beaten up by over 10 inmates. On October 15, another inmate, Dawood, was beaten up.

“Anything can happen. We need reinforcements. Nobody is safe,” Mr. Sanjeeva Shetty told presspersons on Friday.