Demanding Probe into Stan Swamy's Death, Bhima Koregaon Accused Go on Hunger Strike in Jail

The co-accused in the case, currently lodged at Taloja Central Prison, demanded an independent inquiry against NIA officials and jail superintendent.

The Wire Staff

The co-accused in the case, currently lodged at Taloja Central Prison, demanded an independent inquiry against NIA officials and jail superintendent.

demanding probe into stan swamy s death bhima koregaon accused go on hunger strike in jail

A file photo of human rights activist Stan Swamy. The meeting comes almost a week after a US-based digital forensics report found that incriminating evidence was 'planted' on the laptop of activist Stan Swamy, who was named an accused in the Elgar Parishad case and who passed away last year in prison. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Demanding an independent inquiry into Father Stan Swamy's "institutional murder", 10 activists, academics and lawyers arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case, along with Swamy, observed a day-long hunger strike on Wednesday, July 7, at Taloja Central Jail.

The accused demanded action against the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Taloja Central Jail superintendent Kaustubh Kurlekar for "denying Swamy timely access to medical treatment".

"Both the NIA and superintendent Kurlekar did not miss out a single opportunity to torture Fr. Stan Swamy in jail," the incarcerated persons have alleged in their statement, which was later released to media by their family members.

They also demanded criminal action against Kurlekar and sought murder charges to be slapped against him.

The accused said Swamy's death was due to shifting him back to jail from the hospital despite his critical health, giving him "substandard treatment" while "denying something as basic as a straw and sipper" requested by him. The negligence and high-handedness of the prison authorities are clearly visible, the accused said.

According to Bar and Bench, the accused have decided to send a representation to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and to prison authorities demanding an independent inquiry into Swamy's death and to initiate criminal action against NIA officials and Taloja Jail superintendent.

Jesuit priest and tribal rights activists Stan Swamy passed away on Monday afternoon, two days after he was placed on ventilator support in Mumbai’s Holy Family Hospital. Swamy had tested positive for COVID-19 and was shifted out of the Taloja central prison to a private hospital over a month ago.

This article went live on July seventh, two thousand twenty one, at zero minutes past ten at night.

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