New Delhi, 13 Oct

NGO National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled has claimed that prolonged imprisonment and inadequate medical care exacerbated pre-existing health issues of former DU professor and disability rights activist G N Saibaba and contributed to his untimely death.

Saibaba died at a state-run hospital in Hyderabad due to post-operative complications on Saturday, seven months after he was acquitted in a Maoist links case. He was 54.

In a statement, the non-governmental organisation underscored the challenges Saibaba faced during his incarceration and the toll it took on his health.

The former professor, who had polio and was affected by multiple severe health conditions, was released just months ago after 10 years in prison on charges that the NPRD termed "false".

Despite his release being hailed as a victory for justice, his freedom was tragically short-lived, it said.

According to the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), Saibaba's prolonged imprisonment and inadequate medical care exacerbated his pre-existing health issues, contributing to his untimely death.

During his incarceration, Saibaba endured worsening spinal and nervous system disorders and one of his arms became non-functional due to injuries sustained during his arrest, it added.

The NGO alleged that he also suffered from acute pancreatitis and gallbladder stones, for which he was denied necessary surgery despite repeated pleas for medical attention.

The NPRD highlighted this denial as a "sad commentary on our criminal justice system," recalling the similar case of Father Stan Swamy, who also died in custody.

The NPRD had consistently protested Saibaba's treatment in prison, calling the conditions in which he was kept "violative of his rights to life, dignity, and health".

The organisation criticised the failure to provide reasonable accommodation and medical treatment, which it said violated both international treaties and domestic laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

Muralidharan, NPRD's general secretary, paid tributes to Saibaba as a fighter for the marginalised and downtrodden, stating that his death is a significant loss to the movement for justice and human rights. -PTI