State Human Rights Commission Visits Yerawada Jail, Inspects Inmate Facilities

Pune: M. A. Syed, Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, accompanied by Secretary Dinkar Patil, conducted an inspection at Yerawada Jail to review the conditions and facilities provided to inmates.

The inspection covered various sections of the jail, including the Gandhi Barracks, the factory unit, the hospital wing, and the high-security area.

During the visit, the officials interacted with inmates to understand their experiences and concerns about the facilities.

The team gathered detailed information on the jail's communication systems, including the telephone department and video conferencing facilities used for inmate-family interactions. The healthcare services provided to prisoners were also thoroughly reviewed.

The visit was attended by Jail Superintendent Sunil Dhamal, Additional Superintendent P. P. Kadam, and Deputy Superintendent R. I. Gaikwad, who briefed the commission officials on the current state of the prison and the measures taken to ensure the well-being of the inmates.

The continuous rainfall in Pune on July 25-26 had led to flooding inside Yerawada Jail. Water had entered the jail premises through the main entrance and inner doors, inundating the ground floor offices.

This incident was likely the first of its kind where rainwater had entered the prison. The prison administration faced significant challenges due to this flooding.

On June 14, a prisoner at Yerawada Jail was attacked by three fellow inmates, allegedly over suspicions of leaking information to a rival group. A case was registered in this case against Shrikant Rajendra Kale, Sanjay Harish Bhosale, and Akash Mangesh Saswade.

The altercation had occurred around 5 PM near Barrack No. 1 in the CJ section of Yerawada Jail. The victim, Yogesh Jagdish Sonawane, was inside the barrack when he was called outside by the accused trio.