Five under-trials booked for attacking life-term prisoner Ali Khan
Team Clarion
MUMBAI – A convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case was fatally attacked by five inmates in Kolhapur’s Kalamba Central Jail on Sunday. The convict, 59-year-old Munna alias Mohammad Ali Khan alias Manoj Kumar Bhawarlal Gupta, was serving a life sentence for his involvement in the blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 1,000.
According to police reports, the victim had an altercation with some inmates over the first use of the jail bathroom. As the argument got heated, some under-trials removed the iron cover from drainage and smashed Khan’s head with it, said a police official. Khan was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.
The assailants have been identified as Prateek alias Pilya Suresh Patil, Deepak Netaji Khot, Sandeep Shankar Chavan, Rituraj Vinayak Inamdar, and Saurabh Vikas. The Kolhapur Police have registered a case of murder against the five inmates.
The murder of a high-profile convict like Khan has put a spotlight on the conditions and security within the Kalamba Central Jail.
Sanjay Sharma, a social worker and RTI activist, expressed concerns over the incident, highlighting safety and management issues within the prison system. “This tragic incident raises serious questions about the safety and management of inmates in our prisons,” Sharma stated.
The 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts remain one of the deadliest attacks in India’s history. Coordinated by underworld figures, the bombings targeted various locations in Mumbai, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.
As the investigation continues, authorities are under pressure to address the safety concerns and ensure that Sunday’s incidents do not recur.