On death row, Bhullar attempts suicide

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NEW DELHI: While the government has rejected the mercy petition of Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, sentenced to death for a terror attack that killed nine people, the convict himself has attempted suicide twice in the past four months, sources revealed to TOI.

Bhullar, a Khalistan Liberation Force member who was convicted in 2001, does not even know his mercy plea has been rejected. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in Shahdara for "hypertension', psychiatric illness and suicidal tendencies".

Sources said Bhullar, around 43 years old, twice tried to take his own life in the bathroom of IHBAS. He had earlier attempted suicide several times in Tihar Jail.

Sources said he does not read anything and has no access to a TV in IHBAS. Before being shifted to IHBAS around four months ago, Bhullar was being treated for depression in Tihar jail hospital and AIIMS.

Lodged in unit II of the institute, Bhullar is in depression and spends most of his time sleeping. Doctors at IHBAS said he also suffers from cervical spondylitis and arthritis.

Tihar spokesperson Sunil Gupta confirmed that Bhullar had suicidal tendencies. When contacted, IHBAS director Nimesh Desai said, "He is undergoing drug treatment and psychotherapy for four months now. His wife and mother had come to meet him once as allowed by court but apart from that, nobody is allowed to meet him."

On Wednesday, TOI visited IHBAS and found Bhullar did not talk to anyone. The four police officers who stay with him round-the-clock said nobody had visited him except his mother a few weeks ago.

The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Managing Committee (DSGMC) is now ready with a fresh mercy petition for Bhullar. "We have prepared the petition and will file it with the President in a day or two. This is the only case where death sentence has not been commuted even after a delay of eight years. I have not met Bhullar and I don't know if he is aware of his petition being rejected, but we will go to the President with a mercy petition as he has been in jail for 17 years. His death sentence should be converted to life sentence," said Paramjit Singh Sarna, president of DSGMC.

Bhullar was sentenced to death by a trial court on August 25, 2001 for an assassination attempt on then Youth Congress head M S Bitta in 1993. Nine people died in the attack.

President Pratibha Patil had rejected his mercy petition last week. The has led several organizations in Punjab come out in Bhullar's support. The ruling Akali Dal in Punjab has demanded the intervention of the Prime Minister to save Bhullar on humanitarian grounds.

On death row, Bhullar attempts suicide - The Times of India
 
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