Holding fruits and biscuit packets, members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and a section of the relatives of prison inmates staged a demonstration near the Central Prison here on Thursday condemning the alleged atrocities there.
District president of the party A. Shahul Hameed, who led the protest, said that the prison management was stopping relatives from giving fruits to the inmates. “Without giving a reason the prison guards are not allowing the relatives to take fruits inside,” he said.
The demonstrators urged the prison authorities to display a list of items that relatives are allowed and not allowed to give the inmates. Alleging that inmates were also kept under solitary confinement and tortured over the last eight months, after the present prison superintendent assumed office, inmates urged the district administration and government to look into these allegations. “Despite protests we organised to condemn such acts the incidents continue to take place,” Mr. Shahul said.
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The protesters also sought inquiry into the alleged scam in the construction of buildings and renting space involving prison authorities and staff. They cleared the place after a senior prison officer assured to display the list of items allowed to be given to the inmate.
When contacted, Prison Superintendent D. Pazhani said that visitors were not allowed to give a few items to the inmates on the grounds of security, health and hygiene. He denied claims by the protesters on torture, harassment and misappropriation of funds.