13/11/2013
Mumbai: The Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) has alleged that some of the political prisoners lodged in Byculla District Prison were victims of a brutal attack by jail staff last Friday. According to CPDR, Sushma Hemant Ramteke, an undertrial political prison and four other co-accused women including Angela Sontakke who have been in the prison since June 2011, “have been victims of brutal assaults and punishments of solitary confinement for speaking up for their rights and that of other women prisoners, for quoting the Prison Manual and for exposing the overall corruption and repressive tactics of the prison staff against women undertrials.” Maharukh Adenwala and Susan Abraham, CPDR members, who visited the jail on November 11 and obtained an interview, said the face of Sushma Ramteke was swollen and red bruise marks were visible on her body, even after three days.
They claimed she had not been taken for medical examination or given any treatment for her injuries. Ramteke’s lawyers moved an application on Tuesday for producing her in court and ordering a medical examination immediately as well as for an inquiry. They have sought further action to be taken by the National Human Rights Commission, State Human Rights Commission, National Commission on Women and Inspector-General Prisons “as this is the fourth case of assault by jail staff against women prisoners in Byculla prison.”
In April 2011, the Anti-Terror Squad had arrested Angela Sontakke, 42, an alleged Maoist and wife of Milind Teltumbde, secretary of the Communist Party of India-Maoist’s Maharashtra committee, in neighbouring Thane district whilst Sushma was arrested in Pune. They were arrested due to their alleged involvement with the Naxal movement.
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