Jailed Maoists to go on one-day hunger strike
VISAKHAPATNAM: The central committee leaders of the CPI Maoists that
are housed in the Vizag central prison announced that they would observe
a day-long hunger strike in jail on Wednesday on the occasion of World
Human Rights Day to protest harassment and threats to tribal political
prisoners and their families by the police. A letter, issued under the
names of the central committee leaders including Amit Bagchi, Baccha
Prasad Singh, Akhilesh Yadav, Narla Ravi Sarma, Vijaya Kumar Arya and
Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) area leaders Manda Yesobu alias Jaipal, and
Marpu Venkata Ramana alias Jagadeesh, was sent to the TOI office on
Tuesday. In the letter, the Maoist leaders demanded that the government
stop illegal arrests and threatening family members of prisoners.
“The intelligence cops should stop contacting tribal prisoners in
jail or in the courts during hearings. Maoists political prisoners
should not be re-arrested once released from jail. Cases should be
expedited by filing chargesheets in the shortest possible time and in
cases that is not done, self bail should be granted,” the leaders
demanded. The incarcerated central committee leaders alleged that the
harassment of adivasi political prisoners and their families’ by the
cops was increasing by the day in utter disregard to the law and all
democratic norms.
“Intelligence cops have been picking up family members, relatives and
friends of adivasi political prisoners from outside the jail gates when
they come to visit them. They are then pressurised to act as informers
and if they don’t agree fabricated cases are being slapped on them by
cops. Due to this harassment, family members and friends of prisoners
are not coming forward to either stand surety or even visit them.” the
leaders alleged.
Accusing the cops of waging a psychological war, they said that one
of the political prisoners, Pangi Manga Raju, was subjected to so much
mental agony that he committed suicide. They also alleged that Killo
Kamesh also lost his mental balance recently because despite being
granted bail three months ago, his family members were not coming
forward to offer sureties’ due to police harassment.
“Another Maoist, Tambelu Lambaiha, was picked up by the cops again
after being released on bail on November 28 this year, even as female
Maoist, Tambelu Kamala, has been languishing in prison for more than
seven years as an undertrial,” the leaders said in the letter, demanding
that her trial either be disposed of at the earliest or she be released
on self-bail. “All these arrests and the rising harassment is nothing
but an example of CM Naidu’s brutal rule to benefit corporate bigwigs
through bauxite mining in the Agency,” they alleged in the letter.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/Jailed-Maoists-to-go-on-one-day-hunger-strike/articleshow/45449602.cms
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