Prisoners on fast, want volleyball court, cellphone

With 44 inmates of the high security jail in Ajmer on a hunger strike for the last five days demanding access to television, a volleyball court and phone facility, a top official reached there Monday to take stock of the situattion and talk to the prsioners.

Additional director general Sudhakr Johari arrived at Ajmer jail amid reports that 13 of the on-strike prsioners were shifted to Jawahar Lal Nehru hospital Sunday night after their condition deteriorated.

“Nearly a dozen are admitted to a hospital on medical advice. Blood investigations are being done and if required they will be fed intravenously. A total of 44 had gone on hunger strike demanding luxuries in the jail. Only hardcore criminals are lodged in the high security jail. It is unjust to demand TV in cells, volley ball court and PCO,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP Jail), Ajit Singh told PTI.

He said PCO and television will connect them to the outside world and help them pass on information whereas volley ball

› Nearly a dozen are admitted to a hospital on medical advice. Blood investigations are being done and if required they will be fed intravenously. A total of 44 had gone on hunger strike demanding luxuries in the jail. AJIT SINGH, additional director general of police

will lead to “scuffle among inmates”.

The district administration officials have tried to convince the inmates to withdraw the strike but they have remained adamant. The jail superintendent’s efforts to persuade the inmates also did not bear fruit.

The ADGP (Jail) said, “We continuously review the behaviour of jail birds and following positive feedback they are shifted to general jails. It is a routine process. In the last review we had shifted eight jail inmates from high security jail to general jails”.