Vadodara: Jail inmates refuse to eat, demand change of barrack

VADODARA: Officials of Vadodara central jail had a tough time on Sunday when some inmates lodged in Yard 12 refused to eat lunch demanding change of barrack. After few hours of negotiations with the jail officials, the inmates agreed to eat lunch.
Sources in the Vadodara central jail said that the inmates of Yard 12, which mostly include detainees under Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act and under-trials of prohibition cases, had demanded that they be shifted to some other barrack. They were of the argument that the Yard 12 had walls on side instead of iron bars due to which they felt enclosed and their activities were being restricted due to it.
When the inmates were being served lunch in their cells, they refused to eat and put forth their demands. On learning about it, senior officials rushed there to contain the situation. “We made them understand that changing the yard is an administrative decision and that is done only after review. The inmates were informed that making such demands and refusing to eat is illegal and an offence can be registered against them,” said jail superintendent V R Patel.
The inmates then pulled back their demands and accepted lunch. Another jail official said that some PASA detainees who had recently come to the jail were instigated by some history-sheeters who are regulars to the jail.