Also on death row, Shabnam’s lover Saleem is lodged in Naini jail

THE LAST HANGING AT NAINI JAIL WAS CARRIED OUT ON NOVEMBER 18, 1989 IN WHICH THREE PERSONS WERE HANGED.

PRAYAGRAJ: Saleem, the lover of Shabnam, the first woman to be hanged after Independence for killing her seven family members, is lodged at high security barracks at Naini Central Jail and is also on death row. While Shabnam’s mercy petition has been rejected by the President and she is likely to be hanged at Mathura woman prison, Saleem’s petition is still pending.

Saleem is lodged at Naini Jail since last three years and rarely interacts with other prisoners.

A native of Hasanpur of Amroha district, Saleem was shifted to Naini Central Jail from Bareily Jail on September 27, 2018. Saleem and Shabnam were arrested in 2008 for killing Shabnam’s seven family members who were against their marriage.

In June 2009, court awarded them with death sentence. Saleem was provided with legal assistance by a Delhi-based NGO. Lawyers of Saleem and Shabnam approached High

Court and Supreme Court but no relief was given to them following which they filed mercy petition with the President. While Shabnam’s mercy petition was rejected, Saleem’s petition is still pending with the president.

After Saleem’s case was rejected by Supreme Court, he was shifted to high security barracks at Naini Jail.

If his mercy petition is rejected, then Saleem will be hanged at Naini Central Prison. Senior Superintendent at Naini Central Jail PN Pandey said Saleem had been awarded death sentence but his mercy petition is still pending with the president. Further action will be taken on the instructions of the court, he added.

Along with Saleem, Naini Jail has eleven other prisoners who have been awarded death sentence by different courts. Naini Jail has witnessed many hangings since British Era and even after Independence.

Among the 11 prisoners on death row, only Saleem’s case has been rejected by Supreme Court and his mercy petition is pending with the President.

The other prisoners on death row include two Bangladeshi terrorists Alamgeer Hussain aka Roni Obaidurehman aka Babu Bhai. The others are Kallu, Maheshwari Patel, Badri Prasad, Ramanand aka Dadu, Hiramani Pandit, Rammilan Upadhyay, Bhoora and Subhash. All of them are lodged at High security barracks.

The last hanging at Naini Jail was carried out on November 18, 1989 in which three persons were hanged.

Two brothers of Barabanki Babulal and Ashrafi while one Shrikrishna of Rae Bareli was hanged. Since then, no hanging has taken place at Naini Jail and the three ropes used for hanging are still at the prison.