Dozens of Ara Jail inmates on fast

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Dozens of inmates of Ara jail are on fast since February 19, 2019, evening, in protest against supply of poor quality of food to them. The jail administration is trying to persuade them to call off their agitation.

The inmates of the Ara jail alleged that the jail administration had banned homemade food and supplied poor quality of food to them. They also alleged that the guards at the Ara jail demanded at least Rs 200 for allowing their family members to meet them and if anyone refuses to pay the amount, the prisoner concerned is tortured. They said that they had submitted an application to the Jail Superintendent in this regard earlier but no action was taken.

Jail Superintendent, Niranjan Pandit, refuted all the charges and said some inmates of the jail had complained of poor quality of food and he at once directed the cook to improve the quality. He said now good quality of food as per the jail manual was  being supplied and he is trying to pacify the inmates and hoped that the agitation would be called off soon.