After being released, the Muslim inmates of the prison staged a demonstration outside the district collector’s office,
accusing NS Rana and other jail officials of abusing them
Bhopal: Jail authorities in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh found themselves at the center of a controversy after a several Muslim undertrials alleged that their beards were forcibly shaved.
Kaleem Khan, an undertrial who spent two days in judicial custody, has alleged that the jail authorities forcibly shaved his beard and that of three other Muslim prisoners. He has also alleged that Jailor NS Rana abused them and called them Pakistanis.
Kaleem, Wahid, Talib, Arif and Salman alias Bhola were reportedly arrested and sent to jail for disturbing the peace in Jirapur, Rajgarh. All of them were released on September 15. The next day, Kaleem filed a complaint with the collector alleging that the jailer had forcibly shaved their beards.
After being released, the Muslim inmates of the prison staged a demonstration outside the district collector’s office, accusing NS Rana and other jail officials of abusing them.
“I was arrested under prohibitory orders on September 13. I was sent to jail on September 14. The jailor NS Rana abused me and three others due to our religion. We were called Pakistanis. The jailor asked a jail employee to forcefully shave our beard,” Kaleem Khan alleged.
“I have been keeping this beard for the past eight years. This act by the jailor has hurt my religious sentiments,” he added.
Arif Masood, a Congress MLA from Bhopal, met Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra demanded action against the jailer and other officials. DIG Jail Mansa Ram Patel has gone to Rajgarh to conduct an investigation into the allegations. However, Jailor NS Rana has rubisshed the allegations.
“I never interact with the prisoners. They are lying. I never ordered them to shave. I don’t know why these prisoners shaved off their beards. The jail authorities have nothing to do with it,” he told the media.
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