A viral letter allegedly signed by 15 undertrial prisoners has sparked controversy at Mandya District Prison. It claims inmates were charged for cells, room changes and food, including mutton and chicken. Prison authorities said the allegations will be verified.
After allegations of inmates receiving preferential treatment at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison made headlines, a similar controversy has emerged from the district prison in Mandya. A letter allegedly written and signed by prisoners has gone viral on social media, claiming that inmates are being charged fixed amounts for various facilities and services inside the jail. The letter names Jail Superintendent Shanthamma and three staff members, Anil, Shivaraj and Ravi, and urges Director General of Police (Prisons) Alok Kumar to take strict action. However, prison authorities have said they will first verify the authenticity of the letter and the allegations.
Different Rates For Different Cells
According to the viral letter, undertrial prisoners (UTPs) are allegedly being charged monthly amounts for access to different cells and facilities inside the prison.
The alleged rates mentioned in the letter are:
Related Articles
- Cell 1: ₹10,000 per month
- Cell 3: ₹15,000 per month
- Cell 4: ₹15,000 per month
- Cell 5: ₹5,000 per month
- Cell 6: ₹8,000 per month
- Room change: ₹2,000
- Release from a punishment cell: ₹10,000
The allegations have raised questions about whether inmates are being asked to pay for facilities that are ordinarily provided as part of prison administration.
Alleged Catering Service For Mutton And Chicken
The letter also makes allegations about a separate food arrangement for prisoners who are willing to pay.
According to the letter, the alleged rates are:
- Mutton meal: ₹1,250 per kg
- Chicken meal: ₹700 per kg
The letter claims that jail staff arrange for non-vegetarian food to be prepared for inmates who make the payment. It further alleges that prisoners who refuse to pay are threatened with physical punishment or beating.
These claims are based on the allegations made in the letter and have not yet been independently verified.
Letter Carries Thumbprints Of 15 Prisoners
The letter reportedly contains the undertrial prisoner numbers and thumbprints of 15 inmates. The prisoners have allegedly appealed to the state's Director General of Police (Prisons) for a detailed investigation into the claims and action against Superintendent Shanthamma and the three other staff members named in the letter.
The authenticity of the letter and the allegations made in it are yet to be established.
What DIG Divyashree Said?
The development comes shortly after DGP Alok Kumar and DIG (Prisons) Divyashree conducted a surprise inspection of the Mandya District Prison.
Responding to the viral letter, DIG Divyashree said, "When we visited the jail, the prisoners did not give us any such letter. However, we will verify the authenticity of the letter and the allegations circulating on social media."
The prison department's verification is expected to establish whether the letter was genuinely submitted by the inmates and whether the allegations regarding payments, food arrangements and the treatment of prisoners have any basis.
