Monday, December 23News and updates from Kashmir

Hurriyat leader diagnosed with cancer in Tihar jail, Family appeals for bail on health grounds

Senior Hurriyat leader, Altaf Ahmed Shah has been diagnosed with acute renal cancer in Tihar Jail in New Delhi, where he is currently undergoing detention.

Taking to Twitter, Kashmiri journalist, Ruwa Shah who is Altaf’s daughter wrote, “My incarcerated father has been diagnosed with acute renal cancer which has metastasis and has spread to his other body parts, including his bones. It is my whole family’s request to please allow us to see him and consider his bail application on health grounds.”

His bail was rejected on Friday and adjourned till 10 Sept in the NIA court. “His condition is very critical and deteriorating, as I write,” Ruwa Shah wrote.

He is presently on oxygen support in the ICU of RML hospital – where there is no oncology department, she said.

The Kashmiri journalist has also written to the Home Minister of India seeking his immediate intervention on the matter.

Earlier Ruwa had written a letter to the Prime Minister of India seeking his intervention in the deteriorating health of her father who has been languishing in the Tihar Jail in New Delhi since 2017.

“This is in further association with my earlier communication. We thank you for allowing him medical treatment at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital based on an earlier request. However, the condition of my father is not great rather worsening. We have been unfortunately informed that he has renal cancer malignancy which has metastasis a. has spread to other organs including vitals (spine, lungs, kidney, abdomen),” Ruwa Shah wrote in her letter addressed to HM Amit Shah.

The court on Saturday asked the NIA to submit fresh medical reports on 6th October. Till then he’s at RML hospital where there is no possible further treatment of the patient. I along with my family request you to please allow us to see him and also consider moving him to Apollo and release him from custody so that his ailing wife and children can see him at this critical juncture, she wrote in the letter.

She also requested that his bail application be reconsidered and granted on health grounds as his condition is very critical and deteriorating.

Till the bail is granted, with due process, we request you to put him in house arrest so that we can treat him at a private hospital, Ruwa Shah concluded.

Earlier Ruwa had written a letter to the Prime Minister of India seeking his intervention in the deteriorating health of her father who has been languishing in the Tihar Jail in New Delhi since 2017.

The National Investigation Agency in July 2017 arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders in connection with its probe into the “funding of militancy” and “subversive” activities in the Kashmir Valley.

The seven separatist leaders who were arrested include Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate, Ayaz Akbar, T Saifullah, Meraz Kalwal, Saheed Ul Islam and Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah alias Altaf Fantosh.

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