Mumbai-based prison rights activist Abdul Wahid Shaikh, also known as Wahid Deen Mohammad Shaikh, has successfully completed and published his PhD on a unique and rarely explored topic: the literature authored by political prisoners in the Indian subcontinent before and after Partition, reported the Maktoob Media.
Shaikh, a respected primary school teacher, was falsely accused in the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts of 2006 and spent nearly nine years in jail before being acquitted of all charges in 2015. He was the only one among 13 accused to be declared innocent.
His PhD, written in Urdu, focuses on books, poetry, and other forms of literature produced by political prisoners across India and Pakistan. The research covers the writings of incarcerated activists, particularly those jailed for their association with Jamaat-e-Islami, Naxal movements, or in the name of national security.
Shaikh noted that gathering resources for the research was a challenge due to limited access, prison restrictions, and fear among writers and their families. Despite the hurdles, he managed to identify and document over 100 such books, including many from Pakistan, overcoming cross-border access issues.
He emphasized that his own experience of wrongful incarceration inspired the research. “Since 2001, many Muslims have been imprisoned on false terrorism charges. I wanted to document the stories, struggles, and voices that emerged from behind bars,” he said.
His work involved extensive travel, meeting with former political prisoners and their families, and uncovering unpublished prison writings that never reached the public domain.
Shaikh is also the author of Innocent Prisoners, a book detailing his personal ordeal, the torture he endured, and his eventual acquittal. Despite being a free man, he continues to face police harassment, including intrusive inquiries about his personal life and routine.
Through his PhD and activism, Shaikh hopes to shed light on the unheard voices of political prisoners and challenge the silence around state oppression and wrongful detentions.
