INDIA: Comrade Anoop, who is on hunger strike, punished
We hereby publish an unofficial translation of a statement published by Janakeeya Manushyavakasa Prasthanam.
Comrade Anoop, who is on a hunger strike in Coimbatore Central Jail, has been punished for three months by the prison authorities. The People’s Human Rights Movement strongly protests against this anti-democratic and fascist act.
Comrades Kalidas and Anoop, who were arrested in a Maoist case, are now in Coimbatore Central Jail. It has been almost ten years since Anoop was imprisoned. On June 3, 2024, on the prisoners’ grievance day, Jail Superintendent Senthilkumar had threatened fellow inmates Kalidas and Anoop. “What I say is the law in this jail, if you go against me I will cut your throat and kill you,” the threat read.
Comrade Kalidas went on a 10-day hunger strike demanding action against the superintendent who threatened to kill him. The strike ended after the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the jail intervened and assured that such incidents would not occur again. But in the second week of June, on the day Comrade Anoop was taken to the court, the jail guards entered his cell and threw Anoop’s books and clothes out of the cell in the name of inspection. When Anoop asked for a sheet of plain white paper to complain about the incident, the guards denied him the right to complain.
Anoop submitted a petition under RTI Act on 26th of July 2024 in this matter but the receipt was not issued by the Jail Department. An appeal was made on 26th of July 2024 and another petition was made to the State Chief Information Officer on July 31st, but no receipt or response was given.
When Anoop inquired if there was any response to the petitions sent through via jail authorities between August 1 and August 14, 2024, the jail authorities defiantly asked if there was any receipt to prove that he had sent the petitions. The jail department also lied that he had not sent any form.
Comrade Anoop went on a hunger strike from 15th August to 21st August 2024 against the repeated injustice and humiliation carried out against him and other prisoners and he started taking only one meal after the DIG of Jail assured him of “investigation and appropriate action”.
But with no action on his pleas, Anoop resumed his protest, skipping breakfast and dinner. Now, Anoop has been punished on the charges that he went on a hunger strike in violation of the Jail Rules and was not ready to accept his fair rights and fulfill the assurances given by the Jail DIG. Because of this his right to call his relatives twice a week has banned in prison, as his right to see and talk to visitors in prison for the next three months.
Even during the British colonial period, the prisoners went on hunger strike to protect their rights and won many rights. But under Stalin’s rule [Translator’s note: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu State], which is hailed as very progressive, Tamil Nadu prison authorities are treating the prisoners in such a way that they do not even heard about.
Protest against such moves by Coimbatore Jail Superintendent Senthilkumar with his dirty fascist attitude, violating the human rights of the prisoners should be raised in Kerala too.
Prison authorities should be ready to accept Anoop’s reasonable demands as soon as possible. Moreover, the Tamil Nadu government should be ready to take appropriate legal action against Coimbatore Jail Superintendent Senthilkumar.
Immediately stop human rights violations against prisoners in the Coimbatore Central Jail!
People’s Human Rights Movement
