More skeletons are falling out of the cupboard after a hunger strike by the inmates of Tumakuru Central Prison for Women over alleged harassment by the jailer and videographing of the inmates by an unauthorised person.
On Friday, while the inmates continued their protest, it came to light that one of them had suffered a fracture after allegedly being beaten up by three constables on duty.
The inmates started their hunger strike on Thursday morning after a news channel telecast the footage of a woman working in the prison. They withdrew the strike after the intervention by senior authorities of the Department of Prisons.
They restarted their hunger strike on Friday, seeking action against the jailer, Shainaza Nigewan, and Muralikrishna, the husband of constable Uma who allegedly shot a video and passed it on to the news channel. The jailer was transferred to Kalaburagi on Thursday.
According to chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women Nagalakshmi Bai, who interacted with the inmates on Friday for over two hours, three women constables have been accused of beating up Saleema, a native of Chitradurga district, last week, as a result of which she suffered a fracture in her left hand. Saleema was subsequently treated in the district government hospital.
Ms. Bai, who was accompanied by member-secretary of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority B.L. Jinaralkar, said the inmates were on a hunger strike demanding action against the jailer and Mr. Muralikrishna, who continues to live in the quarters next to the prison though Ms. Uma has been transferred to Chitradurga.
There are 80 inmates in the prison, including 70 convicts. Ms. Bai said the inmates complained of harassment and submitted a written complaint against Ms. Nigewan, the previous jailer Rathnamma, Ms. Uma and Mr. Muralikrishna.They also alleged that Mr. Muralikrishna would pass lewd comments about them and try to touch them inappropriately, she added.
“The jailer has been accused of collecting money from those who come to visit the inmates as well as from the inmates for making phone calls from the prison to their family members. If the inmate failed to give the money, the call would be disconnected,” Ms. Bai said.
A few visitors alleged that the jailer used to take ₹100 from them to see their relatives in the jail and an additional ₹100 to give eatables.
The inmates ended their hunger strike in the evening.
Meanwhile, Shivamma, who tried to commit suicide on Thursday evening by taking paracetamol tablets after seeing the video footage on TV, was discharged from hospital late on Thursday night.
‘Will seek a comprehensive probe’
Even as an inquiry against jailer Shainaza Nigewan has been ordered, the Karnataka State Commission for Women will ask the Inspector-General of Prisons to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the issue and take action against her.
Commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai said merely transferring the jailer is not enough. She said, “I will also speak to the Superintendent of Police of Tumakuru district to get a case registered against Muralikrishna as making a video and taking pictures of women inmates without their consent is an offence and giving the footage to the media is a major crime.” She added that she would write to the government seeking action against the TV channel which aired the footage.
