AHMEDABAD: Tension flared inside Sabarmati Central Jail on Tuesday when a terror accused, Syed Ahmed Mohiuddin Abdul Qader Jilani, 40, was assaulted by three fellow inmates.The attack occurred barely a day after Jilani, who is accused in the high-profile castor seeds ricin terror plot investigated by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), along with two others, was transferred to the Ahmedabad facility under judicial custody.
Sources said the victim, a native of Hyderabad in Telangana, sustained facial injuries after being punched in the eyes and nose by Nilesh Sharma, an Amraiwadi resident who is lodged for a theft offence, and two others, who are still unidentified. Sharma, allegedly, attacked Jilani in an attempt to “flaunt their patriotism”, a senior jail officer told TOI. Other inmates quickly intervened, stopping the assault and rescuing Jilani, who received treatment at the jail dispensary.This incident has immediately raised questions about security and possible complicity within the jail.“How did the three men pick Syed out of all the prisoners here? Were they guided or did someone from the jail inform them about Syed’s alleged offence? We are looking into these issues,” said a senior police officer, pointing to possible collusion or lapses in prisoner management.The city crime branch has launched an investigation into Sharma’s to determine if the assault was premeditated or a spontaneous act. Following preliminary statements from other inmates confirming the role of the three men in the attack, the Ranip police registered an FIR. While Ranip inspector Ketan Vyas confirmed the lodging of the FIR, the victim, Jilani, reportedly failed to identify his attackers. DGP Prisons, K L N Rao, was unavailable for comment on the matter.Who is Jilani?Jilani and two accomplices were arrested by the Gujarat ATS last week for allegedly plotting terror attacks using ricin, a highly lethal toxin extracted from castor seeds. The trio was nabbed after months of surveillance and intelligence inputs, marking a significant breakthrough in anti-terror operations. Investigators said the accused allegedly procured castor seeds and were researching methods to extract ricin for use in targeted attacks.
