R K Sharma wants badminton in jail

NEW DELHI: The prime accused in the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, R K Sharma, wants to play badminton to keep fit in confinement.
Sharma, who was sent to jail on Tuesday, has been enrolled in the badminton club and will soon be issued a badminton racquet and a pair of shuttlecocks for recreation.
‘‘We enquired about his interests and he expressed the desire to play badminton.Cricket also figured on his list but he later opted to join the badminton club,’’ said a jail official. The IPS official has been allotted an hour both in the morning and the afternoon for recreation. ‘‘Sharma seems to remember a lot about his visit as IG (prisons) Haryana four months ago. He was inquiring about the inter-jail competitions and appeared interested in taking part in badminton matches,’’said prison spokesman Sunil Gupta.
The officials said Sharma tries to build an aura while interacting with other undertrials. However, he apparently feels humiliated by the 6 am roll call in the jail, when he is required to step out of his cell and stand in a queue along with other undertrials.
Officials observing his movements in jail claim Sharma has, at times, been a picture of introspection. ‘‘He paces up and down the courtyard for hours in the morning. After the morning roll call, he doesn’t return to the cell but keeps walking in the courtyard,’’ said the officials.
Sharma also seems to be spending a lot of time in the library. ‘‘He seems to have become a regular to the library in Jail No. 1. He keeps reading newspapers and legal books for hours,’’ said the officials.
During his meeting with the relatives, Sharma returned homecooked food brought by his relatives.
‘‘We don’t know the reason for his decision but we know he has not complained about the food served to him in the jail.’’