New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who is lodged in Nagpur Central Jail for alleged Maoist links, has expressed fear that he might contract coronavirus in prison as the disease "has reached very close" to him.

Saibaba's family appealed to the Centre and the Maharashtra government to immediately release him on bail or parole so that he is provided appropriate medical treatment either in Hyderabad or Delhi where his family members live.

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The prison authorities gave special permission to 53-year-old Saibaba to explain his condition to his lawyer and family.

In his most recent call to his family and advocate, he informed them that there has been an "uncontrolled outbreak" of COVID-19 in Nagpur Central Prison, a statement from his family said.

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Despite the preventive measures taken by the jail administration in an active way, COVID-19 has infected hundreds of prisoners including convicts, undertrials and even the jail guards, they said.

"The infection is widespread and on a large scale, where barrack after barrack is being infected. On July 8, all 20 prisoners of Anda cell have undergone COVID-19 swab tests and one prisoner was found infected," his family said.

"The disease has reached very close to me", Saibaba told his family. It was only a "matter of time" that it would reach his cell, they said.

Because of his weak health and existing co-morbidities, Saibaba is in a more vulnerable situation with his damaged and low immunity, they said, adding that he informed them that even the officers who used to visit the barracks contracted the virus.

There is no special care or treatment in order to combat the disease, Saibaba's family said, adding that he has not been provided with treatment for his other serious health ailments.

"Saibaba is an easy target for the virus, and once infected, he cannot recover and survive on his own from COVID," his family said.

They said the jail has not assigned him 'helpers' to take care of his daily needs and alleged that he was being forced to live in unhygienic conditions.

"This is a dire case as once he tests COVID positive, he will be either confined to his cell with no helpers and he will not be allowed to shift to the family for healthcare. This is a certain death sentence for him, as he is one of the most sensitive to infections in his current conditions," they said.

In March 2017, a sessions court in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district convicted and sentenced Saibaba and four others, including a journalist and a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, for alleged Maoist links and indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the country.

The court held Saibaba and others guilty under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Following the conviction, Saibaba was lodged at the Nagpur prison.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)