Outcry Erupts as Engineer Rashid Attacked in Tihar: AIP Alleges Systematic Targeting of Kashmiris

Reports of a disturbing incident from inside Tihar Jail have sent shockwaves across Jammu and Kashmir, as former MLA Engineer Rashid (Sheikh Abdul Rashid) was reportedly attacked by fellow inmates. The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has vehemently condemned the assault, launching a scathing accusation against authorities, alleging a systematic policy to target Kashmiri political prisoners.

AIP spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu, addressing the media, expressed profound concern over the well-being of Engineer Rashid, who remains incarcerated in what the party describes as a “false and fabricated case.” Mattu asserted that Rashid was deliberately targeted by “fanatic elements” within the prison, an incident that has amplified fears for the safety of other Kashmiri detainees.

The party highlighted a crucial point: despite repeated appeals and legitimate demands to transfer Engineer Rashid to a prison within Jammu and Kashmir, authorities chose to keep him confined in the high-security Tihar Jail.

This decision, according to AIP, reflects a deliberate strategy to expose Kashmiri prisoners to such attacks and foster an environment of intimidation.

Mattu unequivocally labeled the attack as a “cowardly act” and demanded immediate accountability from the Tihar Jail administration and the central government.

He stressed that the onus is on the authorities to ensure the security and humane treatment of all prisoners, especially those held for political reasons. The party spokesman further escalated his criticism, alleging that the then-state administration, operating under Governor Satya Pal Malik, was complicit in a broader “witch hunt” against Kashmiris, aimed at suppressing dissent and creating widespread fear.

The AIP has issued an urgent appeal to various human rights organizations, both national and international, to intervene swiftly.

They implore these bodies to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack on Engineer Rashid and to guarantee the fundamental rights and safety of all Kashmiri political prisoners held across Indian jails. This incident rekindles serious questions about the treatment of detainees and the broader political landscape concerning Jammu and Kashmir.