`Release Varavara Rao’, demands family after he fell ill in Pune jail

Hyderabad: Breaking silence over the precarious health of detained revolutionary writer Varavara Rao, his wife Hemalatha P demanded the immediate release of him from the Taloja Jail in Pune.

Rao, who is lodged at Taloja jail for the last 18 months, fell unconscious and was shifted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai.

“On Friday we came to know from Chikkadapally police that Varavara Rao’s health condition was precarious and he was shifted to JJ Hospital Mumbai from Taloja jail. They told us that they got that one sentence information from Pune police and did not know any further details”, said Hemalatha.

The writer activist reportedly fell unconscious on Thursday evening in the jail and was moved to the hospital a day after, said an official brief. However, Newspaper reports suggested that he was hospitalized in Taloja jail for 3 days.

According to the family, Varavara Rao suffers from piles, prostate enlargement, coronary artery disease, Oedema, Hypertension and acidity.

“Right now I am not in a position to travel to Mumbai. I am 72 years old and not in good health and under severe stress. Moreover, a legal attempt to get permission for the family member to meet him is being undertaken in Mumbai. If the court grants permission, our family members would go to Mumbai’ she added.

The family has been demanding his immediate release since he has already spent 18 months in jail sans trial. “Since the revolutionary writer, poet Varavara Rao took part in the Telangana movement ever since 1979, as a worthy son of the soil, it is the responsibility of the state government to take care of his health and security’ the family said.