27 Muslim inmates, British woman on death row observe Navratri fast in UP jail

In a display of devotion, 27 Muslim inmates, along with a British woman on death row, are observing the nine-day Navratri fast at the district jail here, officials said on Thursday.

Among the 217 jail inmates, which includes 17 women, the group also participated in traditional prayers inside the jail, they said.

“Twenty-seven Muslim men, along with British national Ramanpreet Kaur, are observing the nine-day fast. They also participated in a havan (ritual offering) on Ashtami,” Jail Superintendent Mijaji Lal said.

Kaur was convicted of murdering her husband in Puwaya in 2016 and was sentenced to death in 2023, the prison officer added.

The jail administration provided the fasting inmates with 750 g of boiled potatoes, 500 g of milk, fruits, and sugar daily, as well as puja (prayer) materials to conduct the rituals, he said.