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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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Jail inmates go on the rampage

Special Correspondent

— Photo: AP

Venting their ire: Angry inmates of the Jalandhar Central Jail throw a gas cylinder into a fire inside the premises on Monday.

CHANDIGARH: Irate inmates went on the rampage, causing damage to property within the premises of the Central Jail in Jalandhar city. While none of the prisoners attempted to escape, official sources said that at least one person was injured as the jail authorities and the local district police had to open fire, lob tear-gas shells and use force to bring the situation under control.

‘High-handed behaviour’

The melee that continued for almost two hours on Monday, followed a standoff between the prison management and inmates, who were agitating over the high-handed behaviour of an officiating Jail Superintendent, who has since been suspended.

An officer in the rank of Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) has been asked to immediately take charge and restore normality.

According to those present at the site, the inmates began a hunger-strike to protest the pulling out of the hair of a Sikh prisoner, who was allegedly beaten up as part of punishment.

Located within a congested residential area of the city, the prison is reported to be grossly overcrowded, where skirmishes among the inmates have been quite common due to alleged ‘groupism.’

The agitated inmates went on the rampage, when their talks with the jail officials to break the impasse failed. They pelted stones, smashed windows, tore down doors, burnt a barrack and damaged a portion of the langar building.

As senior civil and police officers rushed to the site, the fire was controlled by fire tenders.

According to latest reports , the situation in the jail was tense, but the violence had stopped. District authorities had initiated an inquiry into the events.

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