Sadhvi gets black eye, bleeding nose

Inmate assaults Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in Byculla jail

Inmate assaults Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in Byculla jail

After spending over a fortnight in the special ward of J J Hospital, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was welcomed back to the Byculla women's jail with a round of rousing abuses and taunts on April 15.
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One inmate, lodged in barrack no 4, in particular took an instant dislike to the Sadhvi, and began taunting and abusing her since her return.

The Sadhvi complained (see box) to the Jail Superintendent Sudhir Kingre, and was moved from the barrack to a single cell on Sunday.

However, on Monday morning, when the two women came face to face at breakfast, matters went out of hand.

Catfight: After hurling constant abuses at the Sadhvi, inmate Mumtaz Shaikh assaulted her with an aluminium bowl when she retaliated.

The inmate, Mumtaz Shaikh, hurled a round of abuses and expletives at the Sadhvi.
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When the Sadhvi retaliated, Shaikh assaulted her with an aluminum bowl. The jail staff broke up the fight, but by then the Sadhvi had suffered injuries to her left eye, nose and collarbone.

That evening, the Sadhvi narrated the incident to her lawyer Ganesh Sovani, who advised her to move an application in court.

The Sadhvi moved the special MCOCA court seeking permission to file a private complaint against Shaikh. The court granted the Sadhvi's request, and the complaint is expected to be filed today.

Shaikh v Sadhvi

Shaikh had been harassing the Sadhvi since April 15, according to Sovani. He also claimed that though the Sadhvi notified the jail superintendent, he did not act upon it.
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But Jail Superintendent Sudhir Kingre rubbished the accusations. He said, "I took cognizance of her letter and therefore shifted Sadhvi to a single cell immediately."
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According to Kingre, the altercation took place on Monday at 7 am when the two women were on their way to have breakfast.
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Both stared at each other and Sadhvi asked Shaikh, "Meri taraf kya dekh rahi hai?" to which Shaikh replied, "Tere mein dekhne layak kya hai?"

However, Sovani claimed, "The jail authorities are downplaying the incident. We will file a private complaint against Mumtaz."

Who is Mumtaz?

Mumtaz Shaikh (45) has a criminal record and is often lodged in Byculla women's jail. This time, she was arrested under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act and is in jail for the past one week.
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Her case is due for hearing before the special board. Once the board gives its sanction, she will be shifted to Pune's Yerawada Jail for a year.

Sadhvi's letter

Excerpts from the Sadhvi's letter: ...Main safai puri kar ke saaman andar rak rahi thiu2026 itne mein hi ye jor jor se galiya dene lagi. Maa, behen, baap ki, aur jaise gunde mawali dete hain waise.

Maine Swati (WPC) ko bulaya toh uske saamne nirantar galiyaan di, phir boli, Punjab ki hoon. Jaan se maar dungi. Mera nivedan hain, ke ispe shigrahi karvai kare, uske irade mujhe uchit nahin lag rahe hain.