In the wee hours of July 17, 32 prisoners from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, who were allegedly assaulted, were shifted to the Ballari, Kalaburgi and Belagavi prisons.
One of the transferred inmates, Shiva Kumar, who was lodged in the Kalaburgi Prison, was allegedly beaten severely on Wednesday night by the Jail Superintendent, Krishna Kumar.
The latest incidents comes less than ten days after the National Human Rights Commission had registered a complaint stating that the inmates were beaten black and blue and transferred clandestinely without receiving any treatment.
Prisoners were allegedly given this inhuman treatment by the then Jail SP Krishna Kumar for protesting inside the jail premises as they were not allowed to speak to former DIG Roopa, who had visited the jail after her explosive report hit the media.
This incident had occurred a day after DIG Roopa’s explosive report on irregularities in the Parappana Agrahara Prison had hit the media.
DIG Roopa's report had stated that AIADMK (Amma) chief, VK Sasikala and high-profile criminal, Telgi, were receiving "special treatment" after a bribe of Rs 2 crore was allegedly given to the former DGP (Prisons) H Satyanarayana Rao. The report also focused on the illegal marijuana trade inside the prison.
Krishna Kumar was transferred from the Parappana Agrahara Prison to the Kalaburgi Prison on July 23, media reports said.
Upon his arrival, Kalaburgi Jail Superintendent Krishna Kumar allegedly beat up Shiva Kumar, the inmate who was transferred from Bengaluru.
Shiva Kumar, who spoke to Suvarna News over the phone, said that three days after Krishna Kumar arrived in the prison, he allegedly “sent everyone out of the cell” and beat him up. The television channel, however, did not report how the prisoner had access to a mobile phone.
“In the Bengaluru prison, I had written letters to the IG about the horrible state of hygiene and the low quality of food given to the inmates. I had also filed an application seeking pardon. The IG gives applications for early release of inmates who are on good behaviour, I had filed an application for that as well. Krishna Kumar beat me up for complaining against him. He said that this is the treatment we would get for going against him. It was not just me but 18 others were also beaten up,” Shiva Kumar told Suvarna News.
Shiva Kumar’s daughter, who also spoke to the media, said that a friend of her father informed her about the assault.
“I have not seen my father in three years. When Krishna Kumar was overseeing Bengaluru prison, he had beaten up my father for reporting irregularities in the prison. Now that the news got out and he got transferred, he has again assaulted my father and has not allowed him to go to the hospital. We don’t know what to do or whom to turn to. I request you to kindly help us get my father transferred to Bengaluru prison as it is unsafe for him to stay there. Please help us,” Shiva Kumar’s daughter appealed to the media.