Death of terror suspect due to illness: Akhilesh

Siddharth Nagar, Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said that prima facie, the death of terror suspect Khalid Mujahid appeared to have been due to some disease. “We have already (called for) a CBI probe into Mujahid’s death, as per (his) family members’ demands. Prima facie inquiries have revealed that he died due to some disease,” Yadav told reporters in Siddharth Nagar.[caption id=“attachment_799045” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. PTI[/caption] Mujahid, an accused in serial blasts that rocked Lucknow and Faizabad courts in November 2007, died on 18 May after allegedly falling sick and fainting near Barabanki border. He was being escorted back to a Lucknow jail following a court hearing. An FIR filed by Mujahid’s uncle Zaheer Alam names 42 persons, including several police officials, as being involved in a criminal conspiracy in connection with his nephew’s death. Meanwhile, commenting on India-China relations with Chinese premier Li Keqiang in New Delhi on his maiden foreign trip after assuming office, the CM said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should forcefully air his views with his Chinese counterpart. India should refrain from dropping its guard against its neighbour, he added. “Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) has (spoken about) Chinese designs and the result was visible after China intruded into our territory,” Akhilesh said. The chief minister, who was in Siddharth Nagar to attend a wedding function at MLA Lalmunni Singh’s place, also alleged that the Centre was not giving required funds, which was the right of the states, for MNREGS and other schemes. PTI