Two inmates were
injured in overnight clashes inside the highly fortified Central Jail Srinagar
while as jail infrastructure was torched by the angry prisoners after they
refused to shift to other barracks on
the directions of jail authorities, officials told KNO on Friday.The
authorities maintained that the inmates were taken out to carry out repair work
inside a barrack. The inmates burnt a
temporary shelter and tried to come to the outer cordon of the jail located in
the downtown area of the city, the police said.According to KNO, a gas cylinder explosion also took place in the
ensuing violence. Fire tenders were rushed to douse the flames. The security
was been beefed up and more personnel called in to control the situation. Around 480 people are
in prison here. The situation, according to the authorities, was under control
in the morning even though prisoners were raising slogans against the jail administration.Additional
Director General of Police (ADGP) Munir Khan said that the situation was
brought under control and that only a two inmates’ sustained injuries one in the eye. “The
situation is under control now fully,” he said. After an overnight violence by
inmates inflicting serious damages to infrastructure, the situation at the Srinagar Central Jail was
Friday brought under control.Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal
Choudhary who has been tasked with conducting probe into the incident had detailed deliberations with
representatives of inmates discussing a host of issues raised by the latter.DIG
Central Kashmir, DIG CRPF, SSP Srinagar and other senior officers were also part of the
visiting team holding deliberations.The representatives of inmates were asked
to immediately stop the violence being assured that a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident and
causes leading to it.
The situation was
brought under control and the inmates moved back into the barracks soon after
the deliberations.The incident occurred Thursday evening after some 400 inmates from 10 barracks gathered and
mob-attacked the Jail premises damaging property including vital infrastructure
and surveillance equipment in an attempt to break open the Jail gates.The situation turned volatile
after the inmates used inflammables including LPG cylinders from the common
mess triggering four blasts near the gate and wall corners to attack and damage the security
grid of the jail in an attempt to escape.Massive stone-pelting making use of
construction material dumped inside the jail for ongoing work was also restored to by the inmates. A
team of officers comprising Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Police
Officer and SHOs was rushed to the Jail immediately after receipt of information from the Jail
Superintendent at 9 am. The DC along with SSP Police Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mughal
also rushed to the spot and reviewed the situation at 10:30 am.Early Friday morning, about one dozen
teams comprising police personnel, CRPF component, jail staff and magistrates
were constituted to go inside the jail premises in efforts to contain the situation. In view of
massive damages to the government property, an inter-departmental team comprising
PWD, PHE and PDD has been deputed by the
district administration for loss assessment and restoration work.Sequel
of events leading to this incident is being ascertained as part of the probe
initiated into the incident. Pictures
being circulated in the social media indicating an alleged desecration inside
the jail are also being verified as part of the probe. Meanwhile, the Police
have lodged an FIR into the incident,”
the statement issued an official spokesman said. (KNO)