Ten undertrial prisoners booked for Maoist-related activities have called off their three-day-long hunger strike in the Special Sub-Jail at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district after the administration promised to look into their grievances.
The local tehsildar, jail authorities and police officers held discussion with the striking undertrials at the prison on their demands and assured of necessary steps, following which the latter withdrew their fast, DIG (Prisons), Brahmapur, GB Mallick said.
The inmates are now taking food after calling off the agitation, said Jail Superintendent UK Mohapatra. The 10 prisoners, including three women, were on hunger strike since May 6 on a three-point charter of demands including speedy trial of their cases, steps to get them bail and exclusion of witnesses who fail to attend courts for a long time.
The striking inmates have been booked in connection with Maoist-related activities in Ganjam, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Nayagarh districts and lodged in the jail for a period ranging from four to two years. Most of them were shifted from the Brahmapur Circle Jail to Bhanjangar recently.
The trials of the cases were delayed as witnessed had not turned up in the courts. Around eight to 12 cases are pending against each of them in different courts.