Saquib Nachan, a terror accused and former office bearer of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), passed away early on the morning of June 28 at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi. Nachan had been admitted in critical condition following a brain hemorrhage suffered while in judicial custody at Tihar Jail.
Nachan, a resident of Borivali-Padgha village in Bhiwandi taluka, Maharashtra, was arrested in late 2023 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly heading a banned ISIS module operating in the state. He had previously served time in connection with earlier convictions related to acts of violence in Mumbai and was a former office bearer of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
According to prison officials, Nachan collapsed inside Tihar Jail on Sunday, June 22. He was initially rushed to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a brain hemorrhage and declared him unresponsive. He was later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital due to the severity of his condition.
Hospital sources said that Nachan remained unconscious throughout his hospitalization and never regained consciousness before his death.
His custodial death has sparked concerns over the medical treatment available to undertrial prisoners in India’s high-security prisons. Questions are being raised about the timeliness and adequacy of care provided to those suffering from life-threatening conditions while in custody.
A post-mortem will be conducted at Safdarjung Hospital, and both the NIA and Delhi Police are expected to file reports on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Further details, including statements from his family and funeral arrangements, are awaited.
