Student leader and activist Atikur Rahman, who was arrested along with journalist Siddique Kappan last year, was rushed to Sarojini Naidu Hospital at Agra yesterday and admitted there following a rapid deterioration in his health condition.
The 27-year-old suffers from a serious heart condition and his family and lawyers had continually demanded immediate surgical intervention.
“Today, Atik’s health condition is very serious. Medical treatment is the basic right of an accused. Since, he was booked under the draconian UAPA, while struggling between life and death, he was forced to wait month along,” Rahman’s lawyers said in a press statement.
“Atiq-ur Rehman, along with the other accused in the Hathras case were on their way from Mathura jail to the Lucknow court for the PMLA case when Rahman complained of chest pain. He had to be immediately admitted to a hospital in Agra. His condition is very serious.” Advocate Saifan Shaikh told The Cognate.
Also Read: ‘His Life Is At Risk’: Wife Of Atikur Rahman, Jailed In Hathras Case
A medical emergency application was also filed by his Lucknow lawyer Mr Sheeran M Alvi before the PMLA Court yesterday evening. During the second wave of the pandemic, multiple applications filed by senior lawyer Mr Madhuvandutt Chaturvedi seeking proper treatment for Rahman at AIIMS were rejected.
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.
