Alan Shuhaib, an accused in the 2019 Pantheerankavu Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case, was hospitalised on Wednesday, November 8, after being found unconscious in his apartment in Kochi. Police say it is a suspected attempt at suicide.

Alan, who was arrested in 2019 along with his friend Thaha Fasal and charged with the UAPA for alleged involvement with Maoist functionaries, was out on bail.

According to the police, Alan was found unconscious in his apartment in Kakkanad, and prior to this, he reportedly shared a cryptic message with friends on WhatsApp expressing anguish about the ‘system’, saying that he is ‘a flower that withered in the time of forceful attacks.’ 

Alan's arrest in 2019 drew significant attention as it was primarily based on the discovery of literature and pamphlets in his possession. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, which later granted bail to him and Thaha, had asserted that mere possession of books, slogans, and diary entries should not be considered as evidence for UAPA charges unless overt acts of violence and instigation could be proven.

Alan was a law student when he got arrested, and while out on bail, he alleged that he was being targeted by certain political groups.