India’s oldest prisoner released at age 108
June 18th, 2011 - 10:38 am ICT by BNO NewsLUCKNOW, INDIA (BNO NEWS) — At age 108, India on Friday released its oldest prisoner after his bail was paid, the Times of India reported on Saturday.
In 1987, 84-year-old Brij Bihari participated in a killing spree after he was not chosen to be the chief priest of Jagannath temple in Maharajganj district in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Bihari and fifteen others killed Ramanujdas, who got the job instead, as well as three others.
Until Friday, Bihari, now 108 years old as per prison records, had been incarcerated in Gorakhpur jail from the time of his arrest. He was transfered to a hospital a few days ago when he fell critically ill.
Bihari had been alternating between jail and district hospitals since he was convicted along with 15 others in December 2009. In October 2010, the office of Maharajganj’s district magistrate sent a clemency petition to the Uttar Pradesh governor for setting Bihari free.
Late last month, Bihari and 10 others held for the four murders were granted bail, but there was the issue of who would bail him out since his closest relatives were also in jail for the same crime. On Friday, Avnish Pandey, the son of his jailed nephew, furnished the bail bond, ensuring the old man’s release.
Bihari said he regrets his actions and wants to see his village before he dies.
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Tags: bail bond, bno, brij, chief priest, clemency petition, district hospitals, district magistrate, few days, job, killing spree, murders, nephew, old man, prison records, relatives, state of uttar pradesh, times of india