NEW DELHI – Amid reports of his deteriorating health, lawmakers and noted activists, on Friday, demanded the release of student leader Atikur Rahman pointing out that “an innocent’s life is now under threat”.
29-year-old Atikur, who was arrested along with Siddique Kappan in October 2020 when they were going to Hathras where a Dalit girl was gang-raped and murdered, has been hospitalised on 29 August when his condition deteriorated. Last year, he had undergone a heart surgery. He has been a heart patient since 2007.
“Arrested on a false case under the politics of hatred of the Modi regime, an innocent is now under threat. We demand that the Judiciary step in urgently and grant immediate bail to Atikur Rahman. India cannot afford another Stan Swamy behind bars. Atikur’s life is in danger, and we must raise our voices for him,” reads a statement released by a number of lawmakers, activists and authors.
The statement was signed by Congress MP Adul Khaleque, Congress MLC BK Hariprasad, Author Tushar Gandhi, prominent activists Prof Apoorvanand and Kavita Krishnan.
Talking about Atikur’s health condition, the statement said that it is deteriorating day by day. He has fallen ill two times after the surgery because of unhygienic conditions, less nutritious foods, and lack of care inside the jail. Ever since he was arrested, the jail authorities provided him treatment only after continuous legal fight and protests. Now he can’t move his left hand and it is reported to be numb.
Earlier, talking to Clarion India, Rahman’s wife Sanjid Rahman said that her husband is between life and death. He is not able to recognize anybody. He does not know what he is talking about.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net . Read the full story here