Members of the dreaded 'Dandupalya' gang , who are serving death sentence and life terms in the Hindalga jail, went on a fast on Wednesday as a mark of protest against the release of the film Dandupalya-2. They told prison officials that the film would tarnish their image and show the village in a bad light.
They refused to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on Wednesday, the prison officials said. Seven of the convicts are on death row while four others, including a woman, are serving life sentence for murders, rape and dacoity charges.
They have sent a letter to the Director General of Police (Prisons) requesting him to ask the government to stop its release. “They have asked their lawyer to send a letter to the High Court,” jail superintendent T.P. Shesha told The Hindu.
The gang members also claimed that the film crew never consulted them despite several requests.
Dandupalya, the film starring Marathi character actor Makarand Deshpande released five years ago, was a hit. But the gang members claim the 2012 film showed brutal acts like rape and murder that they never committed. The sequel would be no different, the told the prison officials.
Gang leader Krishna, in his letter to senior officials, has expressed concern that his village of Dandupalya, a quaint hamlet in rural Bengaluru, would be branded as a settlement of thieves if the second film came out.
As of now, the inmates have not received any reply from the government, Mr. Shesha said. The film Dandupalya-2 is scheduled for release on Friday.