Jail inmates go on hunger strike for World Cup

BHILWARA - The Cricket World Cup fever has gripped even hardcore criminals. All inmates of a sub-jail in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district went on a hunger strike, demanding a colour TV to watch the matches.

They skipped lunch Monday and had dinner late evening only when the jail administration arranged a TV for them and tuned it to the Australia-Zimbabwe match played at Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad, in Gujarat Monday.

The incident took place in Gulabpura sub-jail of the district.

About 30 inmates are lodged in the jail, charged with crimes ranging from thefts to attempt to murder.

“Since the India-Bangladesh match and Virender Sehwag’s huge score (175) in it Saturday, the inmates were demanding that a TV should be installed in the jail’s common hall, so that they could watch the matches,” a jail officer said.

He added that the inmates gathered in the jail’s compound Monday morning and started shouting slogans.

They threatened the jail authorities they would go on hunger strike until their demand is met. The jail administration was shocked when though the lunch was prepared, the inmates refused to touch it.

Gulabpura sub-divisional officer Virendra Varma said the jail authorities tried to persuade the inmates to have food but they did not budge.

A local businessman got the jail authorities out of the tricky situation.

“When the businessman heard of the hunger strike, he donated a colour TV which was installed in the jail’s common hall,” Varma said.

“The inmates broke their fast with dinner, which they had watching the match,” he added.