If the ayruvedic treatment for Abdul Nasser Mahdani, prime accused in the Coimbatore blast case, kicked up a controversy for the DMK government, it also caused much heartburn among the 2,000-odd prisoners in the high-security prison. Prison sources say there have been murmurs of protests among the prisoners about the PDP leader being given ‘VIP’ treatment.

So, the state government hastily got the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, providing treatment to Mahdani, to hold a free medical camp in the prison premises. Not surprisingly, more than 750 prisoners, including most of the 166 Al Umma members, all accused in the blast case, queued up before the team of 12 ayurvedic specialists from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm on Saturday, seeking cure for joint pains, skin problems, asthma, common cold and cough.

‘‘Since our team of doctors were providing ayurvedic therapy for Mahdani, we thought it only fair to offer treatment for the other prisoners as well. Anyway, we provide free treatment outside too, so we thought why not inside a prison,’’ Dr K G Raveendran, director of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, told The Indian Express.

But the ayurvedic team was in for a surprise when 763 prisoners queued up before it. ‘‘We ran out of medicines and medicated oils and promised to come back again tomorrow,’’ said Dr Raveendran, adding that the camp turned out to be ‘‘quite an expensive exercise’’. Prison officials claim the medical camp was part of the prisoners’ welfare and rehabilitation effort.