Madani breaks down at prayer gathering

By Ashraf Padanna/Kochi

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Nasser Madani, who is on a five-day parole to visit his family, publicly broke down yesterday saying he was an innocent man wrongly implicated in terror case.

During a special prayer, he said he was ready to die in jail if that would ensure communal harmony.

“You know I’m innocent and I’m a true follower of the Prophet who taught us to love our land and its people,” said the 48-year-old cleric-turned politician.

Madani was arrested on August 17, 2010, by the Karnataka police and charged with conspiring to bomb Bangalore, two years ago in which a woman was killed and 20 people were injured.

He alleged he was being victimised and branded as “anti-national” and a terrorist. It is the first time since his arrest that the trial court freed him on parole to attend his daughter’s marriage.