Marking his protest against the jail authorities for seizing mosquito nets of undertrials at Taloja Central jail along with other issues at the prison, Elgaar Parishad accused and activist Sagar Gorkhe has submitted a written complaint to the police and gone on a hunger strike.
In his letter submitted to the Kharghar police station on Friday, he said that two jail officials, including a jailer and a senior jailer, entered into his cell for regular security check and seized a mosquito net costing Rs 620, which was being used by him. On Monday, Gorkhe’s co-accused, activist Gautam Navlakha, had submitted a plea before the special court seeking permission to use a mosquito net, stating that there are a lot of mosquitoes in the prison.
Navlakha had said that considering his age and the issues faced at the prison, he has an apprehension of contracting malaria and dengue. The court had sought a reply from the prison in the regard. Prison officials said that a security check was conducted by its officers and nets were seized as they pose a security risk.
“The mosquito nets have a long string and need to be fixed through nails in the wall. Both the string and the nails are a security risk, which can be used by prisoners to harm themselves by suicide or harm others. Mosquito repellent ointments and coils are available at the prison canteen, which many are using. The nets were seized as there are no court orders permitting them,” a prison official said. The official said that even in cases where permission is granted, the security risk posed by the mosquito nets is being considered.
Taloja jail situated in Navi Mumbai has had an issue of mosquito infestation for long. Previously, inmates had sought nets as they complained to courts that they have contracted malaria multiple times due to the large number of mosquitoes. In some cases, the courts had allowed such pleas. Undertrials had also submitted that not all can afford to spare money to buy repellents from the prison canteen. Officials had said that to curb the menace, regular fumigation was to be conducted.
Apart from this, Gorkhe’s hunger strike is also against alleged harassment caused due to jail administration, a letter written by him to the state’s home minister stated. According to the letter, despite facing several illnesses, he and his co-accused are “deliberately denied” treatment from medical officials in the prison.