Inmate’s death: Six women jail constables held

Mumbai: The Mumbai crime branch on Saturday arrested six female constables of Byculla women’s prison in the case where Manjula Shetye, a 45-year-old inmate who was serving the last few months of her sentence, was allegedly beaten to death by the jail’s staff members last month.

According to the police, the accused who have been arrested are Manisha Pokharkar, Bindu Naikadde, Wazina Shaikh, Shital Shigaokar, Surekha Gulwe and Aarti Shingane — all members of the prison staff.

Sources said the Nagpada police — in the wake of registering a complaint against Byculla jail authorities in the case — first arrested Naikadde on Saturday morning, produced her in the court, which remanded her in police custody till July 7. The rest of her colleagues were arrested in the evening.

The incident took place late in the afternoon of June 23 when Shetye alias Deepa was slapped inside the prison for unknown reasons.

The inmate was declared dead after prison officials rushed her to JJ Hospital the same evening. This sparked protests in the prison and all inmates made their way to the top of the prison building and shouted slogans, demanding justice.

Even as announcements were made over the public address system, asking inmates to maintain restrain, they broke wooden chairs and set them on fire.

Ultimately, prison authorities brought the situation under control and an inquiry was ordered to establish the reason behind the incident.

Shetye was behind bars in connection with a murder case dated 2004 registered by the Bhandup police station.

Her mother, who passed away recently, and her were arrested for allegedly murdering a relative. Shetye was lodged in Yerawada prison in Pune for over a decade and was shifted to Byculla couple of months ago, officials said.