Bhagalpur, Oct. 14: R.N. Tripathi, the chief judicial magistrate of Katihar, has acknowledged Maoist leader Purnendu Shekhar Mukerjee’s request to donate his body after his death for research to a Bengal-based medical college.

In his acknowledgement letter to the management of Shaheed Jubba Sahani Central Jail, Tripathi has directed that in case Mukerjee (70) dies inside the special cell of the central jail (who has been in the jail since his arrest last year), his eyes should be given to a needy patient in Bengal and his body also should be handed over to a medical college in Bengal according to Mukerjee’s last wish.

Tripathi also directed the jail authorities to take proper medical care of Mukerjee inside the jail.

A politburo member of the rebel organisation, Mukerjee, along with Varanasi Subramanium, Vijay Arya and Umesh Yadav, was arrested in Katihar last year. In September 2011, Mukerjee offered to donate his eyes to a needy and his body for research and requested the National Human Rights Commission, Delhi, inspector-general of police, prisons, Bihar, the chief judicial magistrate, Katihar, Bihar State Human Rights Commission and the chief minister of Bengal to accept his proposal through the jail management.

“Keeping in view the age factor and sudden apprehension of death inside the prison, Mukerjee has earlier made us aware about his last desire. He requested us through letters to provide him the approval of the departments concerned so that his last wish could be fulfilled. We have forwarded his letters to the departments,” said Jitendra Kumar, the superintendent of the central jail.

Jitendra, however, told reporters that all the Maoist leaders inside the jail were in good health and are enjoying reading books.