As Darshan’s ‘chilling out’ pics go viral, Belagavi prisoners raise demand for beedis, cigarettes | Bengaluru News – Times of India

Actor Darshan was seen with his manager Nagaraja, rowdy-sheeter Wilson Garden Naga, and another inmate inside Central Prison in Bengaluru

BELAGAVI: The inmates of Hindalga jail of Belagavi staged a protest Sunday, demanding tobacco, beedi, and cigarettes after pictures of actor Darshan with a cigarette in hand inside Bengaluru Central Prison went viral. The inmates skipped breakfast as part of the protest.
More than 500 undertrial prisoners protested demanding the same facilities that Darshan was provided while he was in the Bengaluru prison.They threatened not to have lunch if their demands were not met.
Krishnamurthy, superintendent of Hindalga jail, said more than 500 inmates, most of them undertrials, did not take breakfast as they wanted to be allowed to buy some tobacco items from outsiders or visitors.
“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,” he said.
The protest came in the wake of a photo of the actor, which showed him chilling with rowdies on jail premises, went viral last week.
The actor and nine co-accused are in jail for the murder of S Renukaswamy, a fan of Darshan, who had sent lewd messages to his friend and actor Pavithra Gowda.
The actor and 16 of his associates were arrested in the case in June. Four of the accused are already in Tumakuru jail. Only three accused, including Pavithra, will now remain in Bengaluru prison.
Following the viral photos and uproar, Darshan was shifted to the Ballari prison.
The Karnataka govt had suspended nine prison officials after photos emerged of actor Darshan smoking and socialising with notorious rowdies inside Bengaluru Central Prison.
Additionally, a video clip surfaced showing Darshan making a video call from the high-security facility to Sathya J, the son of a former rowdy-sheeter.