Several inmates of the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara staged a protest on Friday demanding basic facilities, including better food and water, and also premature release. Prison officials claimed that it was called off after they promised to convey their woes to the authority concerned.
The protest, which began on Thursday night, took the staff by surprise. The inmates also alleged that shortage of staff to escort them to court was leading to delay in their trials. Other demands include premature release as part of a rehabilitation program and transfer of Additional Director General of Police (Prison) K.V. Gagandeep. They demanded that the Home Minister listen to their woes.
Refuting the allegations, senior officials of the prison department said that the food and other basic facilities being provided are as per the guidelines issued by the State Home Ministry. Authorities termed the protest as a “regular affair”. They claimed that it was aimed at pressuring the state government to initiate premature release at least this year. They claim that inmates were upset after security was stepped up. During checks, over 100 SIM cards and mobile phones had been seized. Officials had stepped up scanning and frisking of visitors. They were also monitoring food coming from outside, which curbed the smuggling of contraband. “This led to resentment among the inmates and has culminated in this dharna,” a senior official said.
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