For the last few days, about 50 gangsters of the Bathinda Jail are on hunger strike, seeking basic facilities for them. Their demands include installation of television set in the high security cell and more phone calls through PCO booths. These gangsters have conveyed the message to the jail authorities that they wound not relent until their demands are met. Fifteen days before, these jailed gangsters had gone on hunger strike but after assurance from the jail authorities, they had called off their strike but on Friday, they sat on strike again.
Advocate Vikram Satpal Anand said that every prisoner is allowed only 5 phone calls and many A-category prisoners have more than 15 cases going on in the courts and in such a scenario, they are unable to defend their cases and the cases keep lingering on. The prisoners are demanding religious and news channels for only 10 minutes so that they do not become a victim of mental stress. 50 gangsters, including Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, lodged in Central Jail
As per Advocate Anand, gangsters are kept in separate cells all the time from morning to evening, but now they are allowed to move around in jail like normal prisoners, so they have the right to get facilities like normal prisoners.