Ajmer Sharif blast accused dies in Arthur Road jail

Jayanti Gohil, 52, an undertrial lodged in Arthur Road jail, died on Sunday. Gohil was an accused in the 2007 Ajmer Sharif blast case. The jail sources informed that Gohil was battling cancer and he finally succumbed to his illness.

Gohil was arrested along with his son Ramesh by the National Investigating Agency in 2013 for allegedly being involved in the Ajmer Sharif blast which killed two people. According to sources in the jail, Gohil has been keeping unwell since the time he was lodged there. On Sunday, he was found dead in his cell. His body was taken to JJ hospital and his family members were informed about his death.

"We were informed about Gohil's death by the prison authorities. we registered an accidental death case and his family members were informed," said Ajay Patankar, senior police inspector from NM Joshi Marg police station. "His son Dilip came to claim his body and gave a statement that his father was suffering from cancer," he added.

However, family members of Gohil have alleged that he had not been keeping well and in spite of repeated requests the prison authorities denied him the treatment he needed.

When contacted, superintendent of Arthur Road jail UT Pawar he said: "We have taken all possible care of his health and had got him admitted to the hospital in jail. Then we had also taken him to Nair and JJ hospitals whenever he had complained of health problem. He had been suffering from cancer and since the time he had come to the jail he had been in and out of the hospital."