Byculla Jail violence: Bombay High Court recommends reassessment of prisoners' security across Maharashtra

Mumbai: In the wake of recent death of a woman inmate in Byculla jail, the Bombay High Court on Friday said the prisoners’ security across the state needs to be looked into.

A division bench of justices RM Sawant and Sadhana Jadhav made the observation while hearing a petition by a Yerwada jail inmate, Shivaji Tukaram Choudhary, raising concerns over the poor conditions in the jail.

The bench on Friday said there are already other public interest litigations pending before another bench of the high court.

“The other bench has recently passed a detailed order on various issues on improving jail conditions,” the court said on Friday.

The bench has asked the additional public prosecutor to find out if the public interest litigation pending before another bench of the high court involves the security aspect too.

The court said if the security aspect is not covered in those petitions then it would hear the petition filed by Choudhary.

“After the death of the inmate in Byculla prison (Manjula Shetye), the issue of inmates’ security has become important and it needs to be looked into,” Justice Jadhav said.

Shetye is alleged to have been assaulted by jail officials following a feud over missing food. Shetye allegedly died due to the assault.