Date:08/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100854440700.htm

Karnataka

Prisoners stage dharna in jail

Staff Correspondent

They seek better faclities

126 inmates take part in the fast
They withdraw fast after judge’s visit

Raichur: Prisoners at the Raichur District Jail here staged a hunger strike on Tuesday in protest against the lack of basic facilities at the jail and the delay in the disposal of cases registered against them.

A group of 126 prisoners, who staged the hunger strike, said it was also against the failure of the authorities to provide escort security during court hearing.

The inmates continued their strike even as the jail authorities promised them that they would find solutions to their problems.

Inmates Nagaraj and Jayanna said that they have written to the judge of the Circuit Bench of the Karnataka High Court at Gulbarga mentioning their problems they faced in the jail. They have also appealed for action to ensure justice to them.

Principal District Session Judge S.M. Reddy, who visited the jail, enquired with the Jail Warden Vishnu Naik about the problems faced by the inmates.

The prisoners complained that apart from the poor facilities in the jail, many inmates, who had been facing minor criminal charges, have been made to stay in the jail for a long period as there was no progress in the disposal of their cases. They appealed to the judge to initiate action to bring justice to them.

They withdrew their dharna only when the judge promised that he would find a solution to their problems after discussing them with the authority concerned.