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NAGPUR: The indefinite hunger strike by Nagpur central jail inmates accused of being involved in Naxal movement entered sixth day on Tuesday...... The inmates, health of some of whom is learnt to be deteriorating, are demanding fair consideration of their bail applications and a speedy trial to determine their guilt or innocence.....
Lawyer and activist Surendra Gadling, who represents most of alleged Naxal undertrials, lambasted jail authorities on Tuesday claiming there was no proper health check-up of the inmates participating in the hunger strike against the prejudices in criminal justice system. Gadling stated that health of some of the inmates is deteriorating but prison authorities seem to have left them to die. “I have received information that the doctors in the prison are purposefully ignoring the deteriorating health of the inmates by not checking their blood pressure regularly and conducting other checks,” he said.
A senior jailor, who was deputed by superintendent of jail Vaibhav Kamble to speak to media, had claimed a day before that the health of the inmates involved in hunger strike was being monitored properly.  Apart from health issues, there seems to be also a confusion over number of inmates involved and supporting the hunger strike. Gadling stated 169 inmates were participating in the indefinite strike and substantial number of others were extending support through ‘chain hunger strike’. A senior jailor stated just 21 alleged Naxalites were participating out of a total of 66, including 10 women inmates, present in the prison.
“On the first day, we had received 19 applications, and on Monday two more joined. We keep the inmates under observation for 48 hours after receiving the applications and then accept their claims,” he said. “It is only the inmates charged with Naxal involvement who are participating in the strike. The others have remained aloof as the charges and legalities revolving around other offenders are different from that of the alleged Naxalites,” said the official.
Gadling stated around 200 inmates were expected to join the chain hunger strikes in coming days.
The protestors have demanded that the option of video-conferencing be used sparingly and that they be presented before the court on most occasions. The undertrials are also learnt to have sent a memorandrum to chief justice of Bombay High court and principal judge Bombay High court (Nagpur bench) through jail authorities. Jail sources claimed a senior district and additional sessions judge had already visited the striking inmates and forwarded their demands to higher authorities.
The inmates demanded visit of a high court judge. The jail authorities have also stated that medical teams were closely monitoring the health of the inmates on hunger strikes. “Legal action can be initiated against the prisoners on strike,” said a jail official, hinting at registration of offence under Section 309 of IPC for attempting to commit suicide.