Ode massacre convict dies at SSG Hospital

VADODARA: Harish Patel, a convict of

Ode massacre

serving

life imprisonment

sentence at

Vadodara Central Jail

, died during treatment at SSG Hospital here on Sunday morning.

Hospital sources said 50-year-old Patel was brought to the hospital on Saturday evening after the medical officer of the jail referred him.

“When he came to the hospital, he had complained of suffocation and giddiness. Since his health was quite serious, he was admitted to the ICCU at the medicine building,” a doctor said. Jail authorities said Patel suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes for which he used to take medicines regularly. Hospital sources said Patel also used to suffer from atherosclerosis that is blockage of arteries. Patel passed away during treatment at 5.30am on Sunday. Doctors said prima facie it looks like Patel died of cardiac arrest, but the exact reason will be known only after post-mortem report arrives.

Patel, who resided in Ode during the massacre, was one of the seven accused who had looted and murdered three persons at Malav Ni Bhagol at Ode in Anand on March 1, 2002.

Rehana Vohra, a resident of Ode, in her complaint had stated that her house was looted by seven people, including Patel, who had burnt alive her grandmother Nuri, aunt Ayeshabanu and uncle Kadarbhai.

Nine people, including Patel, were sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2012 by a special court for killing the family members of Vohra.

All the nine were convicted by the special court for murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy. During the trial, 11 witnesses had testified in the court against Patel.