Stressing that “oily” and “greasy” food served in Tihar Jail has forced him to go hungry, a US national arrested in a terror case has sought a kitchen-like set-up with 19 items, including supplies and utensils, so that he can cook for himself. On the list are soya milk, olive oil, pasta, shrimp and a stove In his petition to the Delhi court of Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma, Matthew Aaron VanDyke has said he has been in Tihar Jail since April.“That the Applicant/Accused most respectfully submits that he has been constrained to remain on a hunger strike since 06.05.2026, and as on the date of the present application, the said hunger strike has continued for a period of 50 days. It is submitted that the Applicant/Accused is a citizen of America who is not accustomed to the diet ordinarily served in Indian prison, which is predominantly spicy, oily, deep-fried and greasy in nature,” the application says.Asserting that he is neither used to nor capable of eating such food regularly, the US national has said the diet has caused “severe physical discomfort” and “adversely affected his overall health”. This has compelled him to stop eating the meals served in prison, a petition by his lawyer says.VanDyke has also claimed that he has lost nearly 30 pounds (14 kg) during this period and developed vision problems due to lack of nutrition. “He has suffered substantial loss of strength and stamina, and his immunity has been significantly compromised, thereby rendering him highly susceptible to infections and other ailments,” the petition said.The Patiala House court has posted the matter for July 21, when prison authorities will respond to VanDyke’s petition. On the list of demands are lentils, protein-rich foods such as red meat, chicken, and fish (shrimp), uncooked noodles, pasta, uncooked rice, potatoes, onions, beans, spices, bread, butter, olive oil, toned milk, soya milk, and bottled water. VanDyke has also asked for an induction cooker/stove, pots, bowls, and a plastic chopper.What’s VanDyke accused ofNIA officials arrested VanDyke at Kolkata airport on March 13 this year. Six Ukrainians and VanDyke were arrested across three airports on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India.The agency has alleged that the accused have links to banned Indian insurgent groups and supplied them weapons, terrorist hardware and also trained them. The agency has said the accused disclosed during interrogation that they were in “direct touch and abetted in their terrorist illegal activities by unknown terrorists carrying AK47 rifles”.Story continues below this adThe agency has said 14 Ukrainians entered India on tourist visas, flew to Guwahati and then travelled to Mizoram. Key charges against the seven arrested accused include illegally entering restricted areas in Mizoram, crossing into Myanmar without permits, training ethnic armed groups and facilitating supply of the drone consignments from Europe to insurgent-linked networks. Tihar jail in DelhiPrisoners’ food rights in TiharTihar Jail follows the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, under which undertrials are provided the prescribed diet. The jail follows a prescribed menu with fixed quantities of cereals, pulses and vegetables, and undertrials are ordinarily not entitled to demand food from outside or have meals prepared according to their personal preferences.However, if a prison doctor certifies that an inmate requires a special diet due to a medical condition such as diabetes, kidney disease, pregnancy or malnutrition, the jail must provide it. In certain cases, undertrials may also be permitted to receive cooked food from home under specified conditions or after a court order.Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... 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