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Prisoners go on hunger strike, relent

KORAPUT: The hunger strike by prisoners of Koraput district jail was called off late on Thursday evening with the intervention of the district administration, Niranjan Das, jailor, said.

All the 729 inmates went on hunger strike demanding, among other things, transfer of the jail superintendent. The prisoners alleged that the quality of rice being served was substandard and that only radish and potato were included in the meal despite the jail producing many other vegetables.

Earlier in the day, the prisoners poured out their woes to district Collector Balakrushna Sahu and Koraput SP U.R. Rao when they met the prisoners.

The prisoners urged them to provide quality of food, a telephone booth and payment of cash instead of biscuits. Apart from seeking basic amenities, they sought parole by relaxing the existing norms.

While the Collector agreed to ensure quality food for the prisoners, he expressed his limitations in solving the other issues. He, however, assured the inmates of taking up their demands with higher authorities.

The jail premises witnessed some tense moments, with some of the inmates trying to take the staff and officials captive. They even attempted to catch hold of Mr. Das too while he was going on his regular rounds.

Making things worse, the prisoners even attempted to break the main gate of the jail in the morning as a result of which a portion of the gate was damaged, Mr. Das alleged. Additional police force was deployed to avoid any untoward incidents, he added. While there were instances when individual prisoners went on strike, this was for the first time inmates joined forces.

While refuting the allegations of the prisoners and terming most of their demands irrational, Mr. Das said that some 20 mischief mongers among the prisoners were identified and a request sent to higher authorities seeking their transfer to other jails in the State.

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