Maoists' hunger strike in Jharkhand enters third day

The fast by five top Maoists at Hazaribagh jail in Jharkhand entered the third day today demanding certain facilities, as jail superintendent Uday Prasad Kushwaha said a couple of the demands indicated to a 'conspiracy.'

"Their demand for ventilators in the high security special cells and early morning and evening walks point towards a jail break motive on the pattern of Chaibasa jail break some time back," Kushwaha told media in reply to a question.

CPI (Maoist) politburo members Ravi Sharma and Satish Das and self-styled zonal commanders Pandu Manjh, Bhuneshwar Mehta and Sanjay Yadav are on a fast from Tuesday demanding ventilators and TV sets in their cells, allowing morning and evening walk, extension of meeting time with relatives and special food on festival days.

"It is Ravi Sharma's idea to demand for ventilators in special cells so that somehow or the other they (Maoists) can escape. And we are aware of their plan and have taken all steps to prevent (another) Chaibasa jail break by the Naxalites," the jail superintendent said.

He said some of the demands made by the Maoists could not be fulfilled as they were not in the jail manual and the administration had been informed about that.

Contacted, Hazaribagh superintendent of police Pankaj Kmboj said a plot to escape could not be ruled out.

"But we will foil any such bid," the superintendent added.