Death-row convict Shabnam shifted to Bareilly district jail after security breach

Lucknow: The death row convict Shabnam along with another woman convict were shifted to Bareilly Jail from Rampur after their picture within the Jail premises went viral on social media.

According to the information, a photo of Shabnam went viral, which is being told of District Prison Rampur. Later, when the administration investigated the entire matter, it was found to be correct. The picture was apparently clicked on January 26 in Rampur.

Subsequently, Rampur Jail Superintendent P.D. Salonia has suspended two jail employees, including a woman, in connection with the Shabnam’s viral picture along with another woman convict in Rampur Jail. Also, departmental action was ordered against them.

Seeing the seriousness of the matter, the Rampur District Magistrate also came into action and ordered Shabnam to be sent to Bareilly Jail. Another female prisoner along with Shabnam has also been sent to Bareilly Jail.

Shabnam stayed in Rampur Jail for about one and half years. Her 12-year-old son met her twice in the jail in the last two months after media reports of her imminent hanging, first of any woman in the country. However, her lawyers and son have bought some more time for her after they filed fresh mercy petitions with the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and the President Ram Nath Kovid respectively.

On 15 April 2008, Shabnam, along with her lover Salim, killed her parents, two brothers, sisters-in-law and innocent nephew in village Bawankhedi of Hasanpur in Amroha district. After this, on 15 July 2010, the Amroha Sessions Court sentenced Salim and Shabnam to death. Both went to the High Court and the Supreme Court against this decision, but they didn’t get relief. After this, the President also dismissed Shabnam’s mercy petition. Recently Shabnam’s hanging was postponed as the district court in Amroha sought prosecution details of the convict Shabnam, but a mercy petition was filed before the governor on behalf of Shabnam’s lawyer. Due to the filing of a mercy petition again, the date of hanging has not been fixed.