India: Sanjay Deepak Rao, 9-Day Hunger Strike Against 22-Hour Lock-Up
We hereby share a note updating the hunger strike carried out by Sanjay Deepak Rao.
Sanjay Deepak Rao, 60 years, a political prisoner in the Manasa Block of Cherlapally Central Prison, protested being locked inside his cell for 22 hours each day and not being allowed out. He has been in the jail as a Maoist prisoner since 16.09.2023.
He began a hunger strike on 28th October, demanding that, not just him, but the prisoners in the Manasa and Manjeera blocks at Cherlapally also be allowed to exercise their legal right to move freely within their block from dawn to dusk.
His main demand was that Telangana Prison Rule 738 be followed so that prisoners in single cells in Mansa and Manjeera Blocks are not confined to their cells from 6 AM to 6 PM – i.e., they should be allowed to move freely inside their block during the day and that prison authorities must not act beyond their powers to deny this.
On 01-11-2025, that is On the 5th day of the hunger strike, the prison authorities transferred Sanjay to break his protest, he was transferred to Chenchalguda Jail and kept in Narmada Cell. As it is also a single cell, he continued the hunger strike there.
On 05-11-2025: Sanjay fainted and had high fever. Officials gave these assurances on Ninth day:
– They said the cell would be opened from 6 AM to 6 PM.
– They said he could be given the books he needed for study and that they would not prevent that, arguing that because he had been transferred, it was inappropriate to handle the earlier matters here.
– At Chenchalguda, the jail officials gave a clear assurance that there would no longer be lock-up from morning to evening.
Sanjay suspended the suspended his hunger strike.
High Court intervention: The next morning, 06-11-2025, the petition filed on his behalf came up for hearing before the Telangana High Court vide WP No.33783/2025, sought the following main directions:
– That he be not locked up from 6 AM to 6 PM during the daytime.
– That he be produced regularly in courts, since in cases in Maharashtra and other states his appearances have not been ensured; the petition sought regular production before courts.
High Court gave an interim orders that:
– He should be provided immediate medical treatment.
– His case should be handled strictly in accordance with law.
The Court also ordered the Superintendent of Chenchalguda Jail to file a counter-affidavit by Monday.
With both the jail officials’ assurances and the High Court’s response the next day, Sanjay’s struggle moved towards legal remedy to achieve his demands.
We already published on the beginning of his hunger strike and his reasons:
