Jailed al-Qaeda man refuses vegetarian food

Al-Qaeda militant Ghulam Rasool Khan alias Khan Mirza, who was formally arrested in Purnia in Bihar while trying to sneak into Bangladesh border on Tuesday last week, has an unusual demand.

"Provide me two kg of mutton and one kg of chicken daily in meal, else I will sit on hunger strike inside Purnia jail," the militant informed the jail authorities.

Jail authorities said Mirza refused to take vegetarian food served to him for two days after he was lodged in jail on Tuesday, saying he was a habitual meat eater.        

Confirming this, inspector general (prisons), Bihar, D Kumar said, "We will, like other prisoners, serve meals to the prisoner in keeping with the jail manual."

"But, at the same time, we will abide by any court directive in this regard," he said.

Mirza, 66, alleged to have close links with Taliban in Afghanistan, was undergoing interrogation in police custody since yesterday, official sources said today.