A US inmate demanded pasta in Tihar: What prison meal looks like in different countries
Matthew Aaron VanDyke, a US citizen detained in India's Tihar Jail, has petitioned the court for permission to cook his own food due to health issues. He claims the standard prison diet has caused significant weight loss and physical decline.
Why it matters
The case raises questions regarding the rights of foreign nationals in custody and the adequacy of prison facilities in meeting diverse dietary and health needs.
Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction, and one such recent incident has caught people's attention. A US citizen arrested in a terror case has approached a Delhi court with an unusual request: Permission to cook his own food inside Tihar Jail, saying he has been unable to eat the meals served there and has remained on a hunger strike for more than 50 days (since May 6, 2026).The man, Matthew Aaron VanDyke, who is lodged in Tihar Jail after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has told the court that the prison food does not suit him.
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