A Somali national, part of the group convicted last week, died at JJ Hospital on Tuesday. Atoor Bashir Bare (28) was among the 27 "pirates” convicted on August 11 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Bare was not produced in court that day as he had been admitted to J J hospital following health complications. The court had directed that he be produced before it when his condition improved.



According to a doctor, Bare was diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and he also suffered from diabetes mellitus. Bare was admitted to J J hospital on August 10 from Taloja jail.

The Somali national passed away at 8.30 pm on August 15.

Lawyer Vishwajeet Singh, representing the Somali men, said Bare’s relatives in the country have claimed his body.

Since the arrest of 120 Somali nationals in four separate anti-piracy operations in 2011, two men have died earlier. The court is yet to pronounce the judgment in the fourth case against some of the men. In the previous three cases, the accused have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Under a recently-signed mutual treaty between India and Somalia on transfer of prisoners, the men are likely to be taken back to their country for the remainder of their term of six months since they have already spent more than six years in prison.