Assam: Prisoners on indefinite hunger strike demanding bail

In a petition to the Guwahati high court chief justice, they said they have been denied adequate chances to present their side for bail

At least 112 prisoners facing charges under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Assam’s Karimganj district have been on an indefinite hunger strike since Tuesday demanding bail.

The prisoners said they were being kept in jail in an inhumane manner. (Sourced)

In a petition to the Guwahati high court chief justice, they said they have been denied adequate chances to present their side for bail.

“We are accused and we have the right to get the adequate chance...[during] bail hearings, our witnesses are being prevented from testifying. Authorities are not issuing notices to our witnesses properly,” they said in the petition.

The prisoners said they were being kept in jail in an inhumane manner. “Over 500 prisoners are kept in a room where 175 individuals can live. This is inhumane.”

Copies of the plea have been sent to the National Human Rights Commission, State Human Rights Commission, and district legal service authority.

The prisoners said they will accept the punishments if proven guilty but before that, they should not be treated like criminals.

Karimganj district jail superintendent Mrinmoy Dawka and the deputy commissioner Mridul Yadav refused to comment.

The prisoners said 224 accused arrested under the NDPS Act in Karimganj are inside the district jail and have been denied bail for years.