Diwali encounter in state’s jails

Inmates celebrate encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma’s shunting

The transfer of high-profile encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, along with nine other policemen, out of Mumbai on a directive by the Bombay High Court was cause for much celebration at the Arthur Road, Thane and Nashik prisons on Friday night. Scores of criminals belonging to various underworld factions are incarcerated in these prisons.

Well placed officials told DNA: “On Friday night at the Arthur Road prison Chhota Rajan henchman DK Rao went on a spree distributing sweets. The celebrations were not restricted to India, There was a special ‘mujra’ and late-night party at underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s Karachi residence, to celebrate the exit of Sharma and his colleagues from Mumbai.”

Superintendent of Arthur Road prison Swati Sathe told DNA: “There was no such celebrations and sweet distribution in the jail premises. In fact, we launched a search on Friday evening in the special isolated quarters where serious criminal offenders are housed and make no recoveries of sweets or other non-permitted things.”

She, however, added that this being the month of Ramzaan, when Muslims engage in day-long fasting, the prison authorities stock the jail canteen with sweets. These are available to prisoners if they pay for them.

When it was pointed out that DK Rao did not observe Ramzaan, she added: “The Diwali season is also on. Besides all such talk of a celebration within the prison premises over the policemens transfers is total rubbish.”