The Shiv Sena on Monday alleged that the Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur was being tortured by the Mumbai police and that she had stopped partaking food for the last eight days.

"Sadhvi Pragya has given up food and is prepared to embrace death thanks to inhuman treatment being given to her by the Anti-Terrorism Squad personnel. While she is subjected to untold miseries, underworld don Abu Salem and other Mumbai bomb blast accused lodged in Arthur road jail were living lavishly enjoying the Id feast of 'Shirkurma," an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna said.

The editorial said "the Sadhvi's abstinence from food and torture of Colonel S Purohit and Major Upadhyaya, the other accused in the Malegaon case, was a warning signal for Hindus as it demonstrated the mind of the rulers keen on appeasing fanatic Muslims in the country till the elections were over."

Claiming that the Sadhvi was given worm-infested food, it asked "Is it a political conspiracy to ensure the Sadhvi's death in the prison cell during the election time?"