One of the accused in the December 16 gang rape on Saturday again pleaded the special court hearing the case not to send him back to Tihar alleging he was assaulted by prison security personnel, who have threatened to kill him, a charge denied by the jail authorities.

Accused Vinay Sharma, who suffered a hand fracture on Friday, requested Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna not to send him to Tihar alleging that jail officials have threatened to kill him by hanging him in his cell on Sunday.

Vinay's advocate A P Singh told the court that his client has been threatened by the jail's security personnel whom he quoted as saying ,"Today, the media and lawyers can save you, but who will save you on Sunday as you have to stay in Tihar only."

Sharma was lodged in Tihar Jail along with four other accused following his arrest on December 18 last year.

One of the accused Ram Singh was found dead in his cell on March 11 with police claiming that he committed suicide by hanging. The matter is under probe.