Prisoners express solidarity with rape convict Bittihotra

Puri, Sep 5 (UNI) In a dramatic move the prisoners of the Puri district jail have expressed their solidarity with rape convict Bittihotra and his DGP father.

The inmates of the jail grilled Rajasthan Minister for prisons Amar Ram Choudhury who was here on a private visit to the city yesterday over the Bittihotra case, which they alleged was a 'miscarriage' of the justice.

Mr B B Mohanty(Director General of Police, Home guard and Fire service) has gone into hiding after a Rajasthan court issued a non bailable warrant against him for abetting his son Bittihotra to jump parole.

The Orissa police formed special teams and raided many places but had failed to trace him out till today.

Mr Mohanty was alleged to have taken his son convicted of raping a German girl on a 15 day parole in November last year.

Earlier, the Orissa government on the order of a Rajasthan court had frozen his bank account and deducted Rs 19,000 from his salary to pay up the surety money Mr mohanty had pledged for the parole.

Rajasthan police have unnecessarily dragged the DGP into this, the prisoners alleged.

The Minister said it was unfortunate and nobody wanted to punish him but the law took its own course.

The inmates requested the Minister not to be harsh with Mr Mohanty, an honest and upright officer.

Mr Choudhury told them that the state had no intention to harass him but as he was instrumental in taking his son in parole legal proceedings were initiated against him.

Mr Choudhury was on a private visit to this city, the abode of Lord Jagannath to attend a religious congregation of devotees of his state. He visited the Puri jail to get a first hand knowledge about the conditions of jails in Orissa.

He interacted with the inmates and appreciated the cottage industry work, particularly manufacturing of palm leaf boxes for use in the temple and the handloom units producing clothes.

The Minister was accompanied among others by Zilla parishad chief Shankarshan Parida.

UNI