'Give us beedi': Inspired by Darshan, inmates of other Karnataka prisons demand 'VIP facilities'

In the aftermath of the viral photos showing Kannada actor Darshan smoking inside the Bengaluru Central prison, inmates of the Central Prison at Sogane near Shivamogga too demanded the authorities to allow them to smoke beedi and use other tobacco products.

As many as 778 inmates of the prison staged a flash protest on Monday by skipping breakfast and threatening to skip lunch. The authorities tried to pacify them.

According to a Times of India report, similar protests were conducted by the inmates of Hindalga jail of Belagavi as well. More than 500 inmates protested by not having breakfast and demanded same facilities as the actor who is in jail for the murder of S Renukaswamy, a fan of him, who had sent lewd messages to his friend and actor Pavithra Gowda.

“Earlier, prisoners were allowed to buy their habit-tied required items from outside; however, with the order of the prison ministry, the facility has been blocked,” Hindalga jail superintendent Krishnamurthy told the publication.

A team of 100 police personnel led by Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar had raided the Shivamogga prison last week and seized beedis, mobile chargers and cash. Police had also booked a case at Tunganagar police station.

Later, the authorities of the Central prison took strict measures to ensure that inmates of the prison did not get beedi or any other tobacco products in the prison.

Notably, a picture of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa smoking a cigarette and sipping a cuppa with a notorious history-sheeter 'Wilson Garden' Naga, inside the Bengaluru Central Prison went viral last week, raising suspicions of the actor receiving VIP treatment from the jail authorities.

The Karnataka government suspended nine prison officials following the incident.

(With DHNS inputs)