Superintendent of District Jail Mathura on Tuesday submitted a report in a Lucknow court about the monetary requirements for surgery advised to incarcerated activist Atikur Rahman who is in jail in the Hathras UAPA case. The reports said as soon as the expenditure is approved by the government he will be sent to AIIMS, New Delhi for treatment.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 8 advised Rahman to undergo surgery costing around 2 lakh. He also needs 10 units of blood for the surgery. He was taken back to jail after a check-up.
The prison authorities have written to high officials asking for the required amount to get Rahman treated.
His health condition worsened when he was being taken to Lucknow to present in (Prevention of Money Laundering) PMLA court for hearing in connection with the case under UAPA. On the court directions of proper medical care, Rahman was shifted to the district hospital in Agra and later to SN Medical College where doctors referred him to AIIMS.
Rahman suffers from Aortic regurgitation- a cardiac problem that develops when the aortic valve in the heart does not shut securely enough. Heart failure is the most dangerous consequence that might occur as a result of this condition.
A month before his arrest, an AIIMS doctor had advised him to have a Bentall procedure to replace his aortic valve. However, he was arrested before the medical procedure could take place.
Rahman is a PhD scholar who has been associated with Campus Front of India, a student organisation. He was arrested last year by Uttar Pradesh Police while on way to Hathras along with Journalist Siddique Kappan, Masood Ahmed and cab driver Alam. They all have maintained their innocence and clarified that they were on their way as journalists to report on the matter or as activists to express their solidarity with the bereaved family.
The UP government invoked a stringent anti-terror law UAPA against them. Atik’s interim bail plea was also rejected in June 2021.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
