Purushottam Borate and Kokade were awarded death sentence on Tuesday.
Within hours after principal district and sessions judge Anant Badar awarded death sentences to Jyotikumari Choudhari’s killers, former cabbie Purushottam Dasharath Borate (30) and his wall painter friend Pradeep Yashwant Kokade (26) were shifted to the Phashi Gate (death row cells) of Yerawada central prison. Now, they will don white uniform and stay with the convicts sentenced to death in Mumbai blasts and 30 other prisoners.
The jail authorities said the two convicts were shifted to the death row on Tuesday evening.
When arrested, the two rapists-killers were under 25 years and hence, kept in the Kishor Griha, an enclosure for young prisoners often referred to as Baba Yard by prisoners. Later, they were shifted to a barrack with other prisoners.
Phashi Gate is an isolated enclosure of 32 cells. Each cell has an attached toilet. The prisoners are allowed to have evening strolls for one hour. Otherwise, they are not taken out of the cell. Although, one has to cross the gallows to reach Phashi Gate, tall compound walls of the death row does not allow the inmates see it.
Deputy inspector general (jail) Rajendra Dhamne told DNA, “At present, we have 30 prisoners on the death row in the central prison. Besides, three women are on the death row in the adjoining women’s jail. Since death row cells and gallows exist only in Yerawada and Nagpur prisons, prisoners from many districts are brought to Yerawada.’’
Sources said, “There was enormous curiosity among all prisoners about the outcome of the case since Monday. Normally, we provide a bundle of newspaper to a group of 20 prisoners in each of the barracks. Besides, the inmates are allowed to watch television till 9.30 pm. Not many prisoners read newspapers enthusiastically. However, curious to know the outcome of the case, almost all prisoners read newspapers.’’
“The two prisoners were escorted to the jail from the court in a van around 6 pm on Tuesday. We were aware of the verdict and their cells had been kept ready. However, they did not show any emotions when they were taken to death row cells. They have been heard telling some sentries that their sentences would be reduced to life imprisonment and soon, they would be out of death row cells,’’ a jail officer said.
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