By Muslim Mirror Staff

Recently there have been many reports of Muslim inmates being beaten or lynched in jails across the country, but in an amazing show of communal harmony at least 150 Hindu prisoners of the Tihar jail are fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramazan.

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Last year also 59 Hindu prisoners had kept the month-long fast.

“We have made special arrangements for them. This year, the number of Hindu inmates fasting has increased to thrice the number compared to last year.Many Hindu prisoners gave different reasons for observing the fast.Most of them said they were doing it in solidarity for their Muslim friends. Maybe they did not want to admit that they are turning to religion after coming to prison,” the report by Hindustan Times quoted a jail spokesperson as saying.

The report suggests that of the 16,665 prisoners in Tihar jail, around 2,658 prisoners that include both Hindus and Muslims are observing Roza.

“Most of them said they were doing it in solidarity for their Muslim friends. Maybe they did not want to admit that they are turning to religion after coming to prison. We have observed that 80%-90% of inmates become religious inside prison. Religion is a way of finding peace. A few said they believe they could be released early if they pray to God,” a senior jail officer, who did not wish to be named, told Hindustan Times.

Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran, to Muhammad.