Attempt to harm Rashid inside Tihar, claims MP’s party

The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) of jailed MP Engineer Rashid on Friday alleged that he narrowly escaped a deliberate attempt to physically harm him inside Tihar jail.

The jail authorities have yet to respond to the claims made by Rashid’s party.

In a statement released on Friday, the AIP expressed “deep concern and outrage” over revelations made by Engineer Rashid during a recent legal meeting with his counsel, Advocate Javeed Hubbi.

The party quoted Hubbi as saying that Rashid disclosed how “Tihar jail authorities have devised new methods to harass Kashmiri prisoners by deliberately lodging male eunuchs with them inside barracks, who are encouraged to provoke, attack and create a hostile environment.”

Hubbi further revealed that Rashid narrowly escaped when a group of these male eunuch inmates pushed a gate onto him. “It was a miraculous escape. Had it hit directly, it could have been fatal. This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to physically harm him,” Hubbi said.

According to Rashid’s account, Kashmiri inmates including Ayoub Pathan of Beerwah, Bilal Mir of Qamarwari, and Amir Gojri of Srinagar were allegedly attacked by these eunuchs, while Arshid Tanch of Kupwara was also subjected to humiliation.

“Despite facing this behaviour patiently, the harassment crosses all limits whenever Kashmiris begin their namaz, with deliberate attempts made to disturb and provoke them,” the party claimed.

Rashid has alleged that these eunuchs have been declared HIV positive and are intentionally placed with Kashmiri detainees. He also cautioned that notorious gangsters inside Tihar Jail appear to be backing this sinister campaign, which has been targeting Kashmiris systematically for the last three months.

The party has demanded an independent probe, strict accountability of jail authorities, and immediate guarantees for the safety and dignity of Engineer Rashid and all Kashmiri detainees.