Journalist Siddique Kappan's wife, Raihanth Kappan, has written a letter to the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana seeking his immediate intervention to release Kappan from Mathura Medical College as his "life is in extreme danger", according to livelaw.in.
In the letter, Mrs Kappan has alleged that for the past four days, Mr Kappan, who has tested positive for Covid-19, has been tied to a hospital bed and is not being able to take food or use the toilet.
The letter further adds that if no urgent action is taken, it might result in the journalist's death. Mrs Kappan has thus urged the CJI to pass an order releasing Kappan from Mathura Medical College back to Mathura Jail.
Siddique Kappan was arrested by Uttar Pradesh police on October 5, 2020, while on his way to cover the Hathras gang rape, where a 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped by four men from a dominant caste in the region. She later succumbed to injuries.
He has been charged under the draconian Unlawful Atrocities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, lodged in a prison in Mathura since his arrest. The Uttar Pradesh police have also accused the journalist of having links with the Popular Front of India (PFI).
Ever since this news made it to Twitter, a lot of people have come out in support of Kappan asking for his release from jail. The hashtag #FreeSiddiqueKappan is trending with thousands of tweets being made to demand his release.
Here are some of the tweets. Have a look.
