Inmates say murder accused gets VIP treatment in Mathura jail

AGRA: Mathura jail inmates have been on a hunger strike for the past 48 hours to protest against the alleged preferential treatment extended to Rajesh Sharma alias Taunta by the prison staff. Taunta has been accused of murdering former DSP’s son Brijesh Mavi.More than two dozen inmates had initially decided to shun their daily prison work. They also refused to turn up for the court proceedings as a mark of protest, a decision that led to them getting beaten up by the jail authorities.Disgruntled by the manner in which they were being treated, the inmates then decided to go on a hunger strike. When they were brought for the sessions court proceedings, the prisoners raised slogans against the prison staff. They alleged that the authorities were providing special food to Taunta. “Taunta also gets food cooked from restaurants,” they alleged. Besides, they claimed to have seen Taunta use a mobile and also witnessed jail staff allowing him to use a bed in his cell.“He gets liquor and cigarettes in jail. His food is better than all of us and he can roam about freely in jail while the rest of us are confined to the barracks and lobby. This is grossly unfair,” one of the inmates said.It was only after they were promised a review by circle officer (city) Anil Kumar Yadav did they proceed to attend their court hearing. Mathura’s district magistrate Rajesh Kumar told TOI that he would look into the matter, and would take strict action if any jail staffer was found guilty. Taunta, presently an undertrial in the much-hyped Brajesh Mavi murder case, has been in Mathura jail since October 8. Sources said Mavi, a prominent real estate dealer, was allegedly murdered on September 10 over a property dispute.