top of page

By:

Dr. Abhilash Dawre

19 March 2025 at 5:18:41 pm

Suspicious death of undertrial prisoner

Dies after four-hour delay in treatment at Kalyan Aadharwadi jail Kalyan: In a shocking and disturbing incident, an undertrial prisoner lodged at Adharwadi Jail in Kalyan died under suspicious circumstances, triggering serious allegations of negligence against the prison administration. The deceased, identified as Rishikesh Pawar, reportedly complained of severe chest pain on Tuesday evening but was allegedly denied timely medical treatment for nearly four hours. His family claims that this...

Suspicious death of undertrial prisoner

Dies after four-hour delay in treatment at Kalyan Aadharwadi jail Kalyan: In a shocking and disturbing incident, an undertrial prisoner lodged at Adharwadi Jail in Kalyan died under suspicious circumstances, triggering serious allegations of negligence against the prison administration. The deceased, identified as Rishikesh Pawar, reportedly complained of severe chest pain on Tuesday evening but was allegedly denied timely medical treatment for nearly four hours. His family claims that this delay proved fatal, raising grave concerns about the functioning and accountability of jail authorities. Rishikesh Pawar, a resident of Dombivli, had been arrested in connection with a case registered at the Hill Line Police Station in Ulhasnagar. Following his arrest, the court had remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, after which he was lodged in Adharwadi Jail, Kalyan a facility that has been in the news previously for various controversies. According to sources, Pawar began experiencing intense chest pain around 5:00 PM on Tuesday. Despite the seriousness of his condition, he was not immediately shifted for medical treatment. It was only around 9:30 PM that he was taken to Ulhasnagar Central Hospital. In a further alarming detail, he was reportedly transported not in an ambulance, but in a private Bolero vehicle belonging to the jail administration. Family members allege that had Pawar received timely medical attention, his life could have been saved. Questioning the delay, they have demanded to know why no action was taken for hours despite repeated complaints of chest pain. The situation escalated when enraged relatives rushed to the hospital upon learning of Pawar’s death, leading to chaos and protests. The family has demanded strict action against the officials responsible and warned of launching an agitation if justice is not delivered. While Speaking to ‘The Perfect Voice’, Pawar’s friend Yogesh Jaiswal made serious allegations against jail staff. He claimed that despite repeated pleas to shift Pawar to a hospital, a jail staff member identified as “Baba” Raju Por allegedly ignored their requests and responded insensitively. Jaiswal further alleged that there is a lack of proper medical arrangements inside the jail, and accused certain staff, including a doctor, of negligence and misconduct. He also made shocking claims about the availability of contraband substances such as alcohol and drugs inside the jail. Demands have been raised for an inquiry against senior officials, including Jail Superintendent Pradeep Jagtap, medical officer Mangesh Jadhav, and staff member Raju Por, along with calls for their immediate suspension pending investigation. In another concerning development, Superintendent Pradeep Jagtap reportedly avoided responding to media queries, refusing to take calls despite repeated attempts. This silence has further fueled suspicions and raised questions about transparency. Pawar’s body has been sent to J.J. Hospital for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of death will be determined only after the autopsy report is released.

Sweet Support

The Union Cabinet’s decision to raise the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane for the 2026–27 season to Rs. 365 per quintal, based on a 10.25 percent recovery rate, represents a deliberate strengthening of rural incomes and sectoral stability


Aimed at benefiting nearly five crore farmers, it will be a major bounty for farmers in Maharashtra’s sugar-rich western belt. The increase of 2.81 percent over the previous season ensures that cane remains one of the few crops in India offering assured and remunerative returns. With the FRP now more than double the estimated cost of production, farmers are now guaranteed a margin that shields them from market volatility. The provision of Rs. 338.3 per quintal for areas with recovery below 9.5 percent further insulates growers from adverse agro-climatic conditions, underscoring the policy’s redistributive intent.


The FRP is a mechanism and its linkage to sugar recovery rates introduces a degree of economic rationality often absent in agricultural policy. By rewarding higher efficiency while protecting weaker regions, the system aligns incentives across the value chain. The recent insistence, following a Bombay High Court ruling, that mills must pay the FRP in a single instalment rather than staggered payments strengthens this architecture further.


Nowhere does this matter more than in Maharashtra. The western belt of Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Pune forms the nerve centre of India’s sugar economy, where cooperative mills double as political institutions. The history of FRP itself is inseparable from agitation and negotiation. Before the FRP regime was formalised, disputes over cane pricing often erupted into protests led by powerful farmer outfits. Leaders such as Raju Shetti built their political careers mobilising cane growers demanding higher procurement prices and timely payments. The shift towards a centrally declared FRP, backed by the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, was in part an attempt to institutionalise these demands and reduce the volatility of annual confrontations.


Even so, echoes of that turbulent past remain. Payment discipline continues to be the sector’s weak link. Despite a statutory requirement that mills clear dues within 14 days, delays are not uncommon. In Maharashtra, around Rs. 1,012 crore in FRP payments remains pending, with total arrears exceeding Rs. 4,200 crore in early 2026. Yet, compared to the protracted standoffs of earlier decades, the system today is markedly more responsive.


Higher FRP translates into improved liquidity for farmers and stronger rural demand. With industry estimates suggesting an additional Rs. 15,000–20,000 crore flowing into the countryside, the multiplier effects will extend well beyond agriculture. In Maharashtra’s cooperative ecosystem, this means greater financial stability for mills, more reliable wage flows for labourers, and renewed confidence in the rural economy.


The policy also dovetails neatly with India’s ethanol ambitions. By sustaining cane production, it ensures a steady feedstock for ethanol blending, offering mills an alternative revenue stream and reducing dependence on volatile sugar prices.

Comments

bottom of page