Riots accused says she is being harassed inside Tihar jail

Student activist Gulfisha Khatoon, who has been booked and arrested under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as one of the alleged

Student activist Gulfisha Khatoon, who has been booked and arrested under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as one of the alleged conspirators of Delhi riots, on Monday told a city court that she was being harassed by jail officers inside Tihar prisons. Khatoon said she was being called names, such as “educated terrorist”, and subjected to communal slurs by the prison officials. Khatoon is currently lodged in the women’s jail within the prison complex.

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Khatoon on Monday told additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat that she was being mentally harassed in Tihar jail and if anything happened to her, then prison authorities would be responsible. “I am facing discrimination by the jail staff. They are calling me an educated terrorist and hurling racist slurs at me. I am facing mental harassment here. If I harm myself only jail authorities will be responsible for it,” she alleged.

Following this, the court asked Khatoon’s counsel to file an application in this regard. Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for Khatoon, told court that he will take the necessary action.

Khatoon was produced through video conferencing after a charge sheet was filed against her and 14 others for hatching a conspiracy and orchestrating the February riots in north-east Delhi that killed 53 people and injured more than 400.

Responding to the allegations, the prison’s director general, Sandeep Goel said, “ These allegations are baseless.”