IM convict attacks death row inmate in Nagpur jail

Indian Mujahiddeen activist Mirza Himayat Baig, sentenced to life imprisonment for possessing explosives and forged documents, on Wednesday allegedly attacked murder convict Rajesh Daware, who is sentenced to death, in the Nagpur Central Jail, jail officials said.

The attack occurred in the kitchen premises of the high security Nagpur Central Jail where Baig hit Daware on his head with a ladle. Security officials immediately rushed to stop the brawl from escalating.

Daware was rushed to the prison hospital while Dhantoli police station lodged a first information report against Baig, the officials said.

The reason for the brawl was not yet clear and police and prison authorities were investigating the incidence.

Baig was arrested for the February 13, 2010, blast in the German Bakery restaurant in Pune and later the Pune sessions court sentenced him to death.

However, on March 17, 2016, the Bombay High Court absolved Baig of all serious charges pertaining to the terror act and commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment for possessing explosives and forged documents.

Daware and his associate Arvind Abhilash Singh, who were both college students, were sentenced to death by a Nagpur sessions court on February 4, 2016, for the sensational vendetta killing of eight-year-old Yug Chandak on September 1, 2014.

Yug was kidnapped and killed by Daware to take revenge on Dr. Chandak who sacked Daware as office assistant a fortnight earlier.

The rare double death sentence in a single case was upheld by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on May 5, 2016.

--IANS

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