Bhopal, Over two dozen Muslim students affiliated with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), currently detained in Bhopal jail, Madhya Pradesh, India, have been on a hunger strike since January 13. The strike is a protest against their alleged illegal detention and the conditions of their confinement.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the jail authorities confirmed that the students started the hunger strike on January 13, refusing full meals. The 28 students, some of whom are facing severe charges under the Bharatiya Janata Party government, are demanding improved conditions in the jail. Among the strikers, two students, Shibli and Qamaruddin, have been sentenced to death, while others, Abu Faisal and Kamran, are serving life sentences on what they claim are false charges.
A delegation from the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), including Syed Javed Akhtar, Mohammad Ansar, and Masood Ahmad Khan, met with Sanjay Pandey, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (Establishment) of Madhya Pradesh. They discussed the prisoners’ demands for better facilities in line with the jail manual and their rights as detainees.
The striking students are pressing for the right to move within the jail premises, meet with other prisoners, and participate in mass prayers. They are currently held in a high-security section known as the “Anda” (egg) cell. Their demands also include not being subjected to daily checks, access to separate newspapers and magazines, and permission to wear traditional religious attire instead of the jail uniform.
The PUCL memorandum highlights that the SIMI prisoners, especially those in the “Anda” cell, are being subjected to harsher conditions compared to other inmates. It points out that these prisoners are being denied facilities such as outdoor time, which are standard for other prisoners, despite adequate security measures in place.
The memorandum also mentions that complaints about the treatment of SIMI prisoners have been made to senior officials and the Indian Human Rights Commission. The Commission’s investigation reportedly found evidence of torture and made several recommendations, but substantive action is yet to be taken.
The document also refers to the 2016 jailbreak incident involving SIMI prisoners, followed by their killing in what was claimed to be a fake encounter. The memorandum argues that continuing to punish those not involved in the incident is both illegal and unfair.
Previously, in November 2020, SIMI activists in Bhopal jail had also gone on a hunger strike, demanding facilities similar to those in Ahmedabad jail, including access to nutritious food and the ability to interact freely with each other. Their demands were rejected by the jail administration.
This incident is part of a broader context of thousands of Muslim students facing detention in various jails across India, often for extended periods.