Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): For the first time since Siddique Kappan, a Delhi-based Kerala journalist, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in October last year, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has intervened in the matter.
Earlier, Siddique's wife Raihanth had sought Pinarayi's intervention in providing the journalist much-needed medical help as he continues to be in a critical condition. The journalists' union from Kerala, too, had approached the chief minister in this regard.
Pinarayi on Sunday shot a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking his intervention in the case
"It has been brought to my attention by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists and some of the prominent media persons of national repute that Shri Sidhiqe (Siddique) Kappan , a journalist from Kerala presently in custody under Unlawful Activities Protection Act (UAPA) in Mathura, UP, is facing severe health problems."
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"It is reported that he is having heart ailments. After getting affected with Covid-19, he has been admitted to KVM Hospital, Mathura. He is reportedly being chained to his bed even when his health condition is precarious."
"I request your good self to intervene in the matter so that humane treatment is accorded to Shri Kappan. Expert health care, necessary for him, may also be seriously considered by shifting him to another super specialty hospital where modern life saving facilities are ensured. People in general and the media fraternity in particular are anxious to know about his predicament and human rights and are very much concerned about his plight. I request you to make it sure that he gets all medical facilities," the letter read.
Kappan was detained on his way to Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, for covering the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl. Since then, he has been in jail. He was booked under UAPA.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, Kappan lied about the organisation he represented. It also accused him of receiving funds from international sources and of not cooperating with the investigation.
However, Kappan had rebutted these claims in court and said he was tortured, slapped, and beaten with lathis.
