A key Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Islam (HuJI) operative and accused in serial blasts in lucknow, Faizabad and Varanasi courts -Khalid Mujahid, died under mysterious circumstances on Saturday. He reportedly fell ill on his return to District Jail at Barabanki and was taken to District Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Confirming Mujahid's death, IG (law & order) RK Vishwakarma said that the matter will be probed. "An autopsy will be done by a panel of doctors which will be recorded in camera for transparency. Besides, a letter was has been sent to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for action and a magesterial enquiry will be carried out," said Vishwakarma.
On May 19, Special Session Judge, SC/ST, Kalpana Mishra of a Barabanki Court turned down the plea of UP government on withdrawing terror cases against Khalid Mujahid and his aide Tariq Qasmi.
Both were accused of executing the serial blasts at courts that claimed 15 lives and left over five dozen critically injured. They were arrested near the Barabanki railway station on December 20, 2007. The cops had also seized 1.25 kg RDX, detonators, gelatin rods, cellphones and SIM cards from them.
However on April 26, the UP government moved an application to withdraw cases against them citing public interest and communal harmony as reason.
Earlier, the UP government made a similar move by deciding to wthdraw the charge of conspiracy against Tariq Qasmi in serial blasts at Golghar in Gorakhpur on May 22, 2007.
As per reports, Khalid Mujahid of Jaunpur along with Tariq Qsmi, Akhtar and Sajjur-Rehman - all key HuJI were taken to Faizabad court to be produced for trial in the serial blasts in Court compounds on November 23, 2007.
In their return journey to Barabanki district jail, Mujahid fainted in the police van as the motorcade was passing Ram Sanehi Ghat area of Barabanki. The escorting police team diverted the fleet to the District Hospital Barabanki. As they reached there around 5.15 pm, doctors attending on Mujahid pronounced him dead upon arrival.
Prima facie it appears that Mujahid suffered a heart attack and died. However an autopsy will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. Mujahid's kin have been informed about his death at Jaunpur.