Hyderabad: Prisoner prefers mercy killing to police abuse

Hyderabad: A prisoner on life sentence in Cherlapally Central Jail has approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking “mercy killing” claiming that he is being subjected to “unbearable agony.”

S.M. Ameenullah, the prisoner, claimed “mental and physical” abuse meted out by B. Raja Mahesh, the deputy superintendent at the prison in Cherlapally as the reason.

“I am not insane and have taken this decision after careful thought as there is no other resort left for me to live life with some human dignity,” Mr Ameenullah wrote in the SHRC complaint. “One fine day, he will kill me and declare that I have committed suicide due to personal issues or I had suffered a heart attack and died on the way to hospital,” Ameenullah wrote.

Reportedly, one of the co-accused Arun Sopan More had complained to SHRC about “Mr Raja Mahesh’s corruption activities and unwarranted physical activities” some time back. The harassment had reportedly increased from that time.

“I have been punished by the court to be imprisoned for life, but is it a part of my punishment that I be constantly harassed, objectified and abused at the hands of such officers?” he questioned.

“Complaint was received by SHRC on Saturday and they have directed DG, Prisons and Correctional services to look into the issue and submit the report by July 16,” SHRC member K Peda Peri Reddy said.