Human rights activists who have been held or their houses have been raided for alleged Maoist links by Pune police earlier this week got support from unusual corners in West Bengal on Friday.
While more than 100 students, faculties and Alumni of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT- KGP) signed the statement condemning the police action on Prof. Anand Teltumbde, who taught in IIT KGP till recently, and others more than 20 political prisoners in Kolkata observed a 24-hour hunger strike in protest of the police action.
“We, the undersigned students, faculty and others from IIT Kharagpur are shocked with the treatment that the police forces have meted out to our ex-colleague, Prof. Anand Teltumbde and other intellectuals,” a letter signed by faculty members, students and alumni of the institute said. The letter said that Prof Teltumbde’s residence in Goa, “was intruded by the police forces without permission in his absence”.
From 6 a.m. on Friday, about 17 prisoners of Presidency Central Correctional and six from Alipore Central Correctional Home observed a hunger strike in protest against the crackdown on activists. According to prison authorities, those protesting are political prisoners arrested under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Among those observing hunger strike are political prisoners like Chhatradhar Mahato, Prasoon Chaterjee, Madhusudan Mondal and Sadanala Ramakrishna.