Taloja jail cites security threat for refusing mosquito nets

Gautam Navlakha, Sagar Gorkhe and others lodged in Taloja jail had approached the special court for a direction to provide mosquito nets

Mumbai: Citing security threats, the Taloja jail prison authorities have objected to the use of mosquito nets in prison in the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court. The authorities filed a reply to the plea filed by the accused booked in connection with the Elgar Parishad Bhima Koregaon case.

The accused had approached the court stating that one day in May, the officials came to their barracks and took away the mosquito net claiming it to be a security threat. (HT PHOTO)

Gautam Navlakha, Sagar Gorkhe and others lodged in Taloja jail had approached the special court for a direction to provide mosquito nets to the accused after it was taken away by the prison officers.

The authorities told the court that it is hazardous to allow the prison inmates to use the net and it could be a security threat as well. It further stated that the thread used to tie the net could easily be used by the accused to strangulate either themselves or other inmates. Besides, the nail used to hang the mosquito net could be used to attack others or to self-harm, they said in the reply.

The accused had approached the court stating that one day in May, the officials came to their barracks and took away the mosquito net claiming it to be a security threat.

The accused had pleaded that the prison has a lot of mosquito breeding and with rains approaching, they sought direction to return the nets. The court will next hear the plea on June 23.