Body of Ayodhya man murdered in Faridabad jail to reach home today

Ayodhya: The body of Abdul Rehman (20), who was murdered in Faridabad's Neemka Jail by fellow inmate Arun Chaudhary alias Abbu Jatt during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, was expected to reach his home in Ayodhya by Wednesday. An e-rickshaw driver, Rehman was arrested for allegedly planning an attack on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, by the Haryana Special Task Force (STF) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Pali village in Faridabad on March 2 last year.
Police said the two entered into an altercation about a fortnight ago, which could have led to the killing. Israr, Rehman's uncle, added that the family was in the process of securing bail for Abdul when the incident occurred. "We were in touch with a lawyer and filed a bail application in a Faridabad court. Before anything could happen, this tragedy took place," said his uncle, who along with Rehman's father Abu Bakar had reached Faridabad jail to take possession of the body. Rehman's mother, Ashmeen, is in a state of shock. "We just met him in jail. I don't know what happened to my child. Please show me his face once," she kept pleading. Israr recalled that Rehman's parents met him in jail on Thursday night. "He was seated on one side of the glass partition, while my sister and brother-in-law sat on the other side. They spoke over the phone. She took some food for him, but it was not allowed to be given to prisoners," he said. "Around 9.30 am, the jail authorities called the son of the village head, Kailash Jaiswal, because Abdul's father's phone was switched off. That is how we came to know something happened in Faridabad jail," he said. After his arrest, Gujarat ATS had claimed that Rehman was allegedly planning a major terror attack in the temple town. ATS then said he was a self-radicalised "lone wolf", influenced by online extremist propaganda. Rehman, as per ATS, had confessed to carrying two hand grenades, which were safely neutralised by a bomb disposal squad. He was booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). A Class 10 pass-out, he lived in Milkipur, Ayodhya, for the past five years, earning a livelihood as an e-rickshaw driver. His mother revealed that Rehman suffered from a congenital heart condition and underwent surgery as a child. He was the only son in the family, with three sisters.