Abu Jundal on hunger strike, wants to be shifted from 'anda' cell

Mumbai, Aug 7: Suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, an alleged mastermind of the 26/11 terror attacks, has gone on hunger strike in the Arthur Road Jail here demanding that he be shifted from 'anda' cell to a normal prison, police said today.

Jundal, who was allegedly behind some major bomb blasts in several cities of the country, has been on a hunger strike since yesterday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) Dhananjay Kulkarni said.

The decision to change an inmate's cell is solely taken by the concerned jail authorities, police said. Senior jail officials take decision in such matters after discussing with higher prison authorities, they said.

'Anda' cell is a small high security cell used to keep hardcore criminals in isolation. A native of Beed in Maharashtra, Jundal was arrested in Delhi following his deportation from Saudi Arabia in 2012.

The NIA had chargesheeted Jundal here for allegedly conspiring to carry out terror activities in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and Aurangabad arms haul case.

In Maharashtra, Jundal is accused of being involved in Aurangabad arms haul, 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune and the Nashik Police Academy attack conspiracy. As per a charge sheet filed against him, in May 2006 Jundal fled to Bangladesh where he was received by an ISI agent.

He then used a boarding pass issued in a fictitious name to board a PIA flight to Pakistan. Jundal taught Hindi to the 26/11 attackers during their training in Pakistan, according to police. The November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks left 166 dead and many more injured.

PTI