Hunger strike by surrendered Maoist leader highlights concerns over delayed trials, prison conditions

By A Representative 

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has issued a statement expressing concern over the ongoing hunger strike by Dunna Keshava Rao, also known as Azad, a surrendered leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), who has been on strike for seven days at the Jharpada High Security Prison in Bhubaneswar.

According to CASR, Azad began his hunger strike on October 15, following what it described as the failure of the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments to comply with Supreme Court directions to expedite trials in his cases. The Supreme Court, in Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 511/2024, had reportedly instructed both state governments to establish special courts and complete all cases against him within one year, beginning September 2025.

Azad had surrendered to the Andhra Pradesh police on May 18, 2011, under assurances of rehabilitation and reintegration into society. CASR alleges that he was subsequently re-arrested by the Odisha police and has remained in custody for nearly 15 years without a conclusive trial.

The organization also raised concerns about the conditions of other inmates in Jharpada Jail, including Ranju Killo, an Adivasi prisoner reportedly paralyzed and under long-term hospital care, as well as others like Dubasi Shankar and J. Srinubabu, who it said face repeated inter-state prison transfers under Prisoner Transit (PT) warrants. CASR stated that these transfers obstruct bail processes and family visits.

In its statement, CASR called for the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders in Azad’s case, bail and medical care for ailing prisoners, and an end to frequent inter-state transfers of political detainees. It further urged the authorities to ensure timely trials and to release prisoners held under what it described as “vague charges” and prolonged pre-trial detention.

CASR is a coalition of various student, workers’, and human rights organizations including AISA, AISF, APCR, Bhim Army, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, SFI, WSS, and others.