Nihang chief Baba Ajit Singh Poohla is dead

Chandigarh, Aug 29: Tarna Dal Nihang chief Baba Ajit Singh Poohla, who sustained serious burn injuries when two jail inmates set him afire in Amritsar Central jail on Thursday, Aug 27, died in the PGI here. The Baba, who had suffered about 70 per cent burn injuries in the attack, was brought to the PGI around 2130 hrs where he breathed his last at 0800 hrs this morning, Dr R K Sharma, Head of Plastic Surgery Department, told the sources here.

The body of Nihang chief has been kept at the mortuary. A large number of nihangs have gathered at the PGI to take the body after a postmortem examination. Baba Ajit Singh Phoola was taking his lunch in cell no 30 in Amritsar jail yesterday, when two jail inmates had doused him with diesel and set him ablaze. He was rushed to Guru Nanakdev hospital at Amritsar and later brought to the PGI at Chandigarh.

A case has been registered at the Sadar police station in Amritsar and a magisterial inquiry ordered by Deputy Commissioner K S Pannu into the incident.

The Nihang Baba Ajit Singh Poohla, a resident of Baba Bakala sub-division of Amritsar district, was undergoing trial in various cases including murder, attempt to murder and encroachment of land.

He was sent to jail on the orders of High Court.

The Baba had been attacked many times during the days of terrorism.

UN