New Delhi: The son of Syed Salahuddin, chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, who is lodged in Tihar jail in connection with an alleged case of funding, was among the 18 prisoners injured in a scuffle with the security men last week, as per a report sent by the Tihar Jail authorities to the Home Ministry.
Syed Shahid Yousuf was arrested last month by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a 2012 funding case. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti spoke to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and asked him to ensure the safety of the prisoners. The Home Ministry sought a report from the Tihar Jail administration.
An official, quoting the Tihar jail report, said three prisoners, including a Kashmiri, were found to be having unauthorised material, during a regular checking on the intervening night of November 21-22. When the Tamil Nadu Special Force sub-inspector, Muthu Pandee, tried to remove them, the inmates resisted. When they assaulted the officer, who is physically challenged, other policemen intervened in which the 18 prisoners, including Yousuf, were injured.
These facts were conveyed to the Home Ministry in a report submitted on Wednesday, an official said. A fact-finding team, headed by a district judge rank officer, has been constituted to investigate the incident.