In a rare incident, over 900 inmates of the Nagpur's Central Jail launched an indefinite hunger strike on Monday to protest the transfer of Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Dr. Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay.

The inmates launched the strike as soon as they were informed about the officer's transfer.

The inmates also pressed for a representative of the district collector to visit them and communicate their grievances to the government.

Dr. Upadhyay was on Sunday transferred as additional commissioner of police (crime branch), Nagpur, as part of the major reshuffle of 78 senior officers of Maharashtra police.

He had been posted as DIG (Prisons), Nagpur, barely two months ago consequent to his promotion.

During his brief tenure, Dr. Upadhyay implemented various reform schemes and organised cultural programmes in the premises of the jail.

He was earlier the Superintendent of Police, Nagpur Rural.