2 undertrials assault officer at Bengaluru Central Prison days after review panel flags ‘systemic’ issues in jail

According to the FIR, the incident occurred between 3 pm and 3.30 pm on January 7, when Murthy was performing his routine duties at the gate. A group of inmates allegedly attempted to enter the area without proper authorisation and created a ruckus after being denied entry.

The complaint stated that Murthy asked the inmates to seek permission from the jailer before entering. This allegedly led to an argument, during which the inmates prevented him from carrying out his duties, and verbally abused him in the presence of other inmates and prison staff.

The situation escalated when Anand, identified as undertrial prisoner number 1489, allegedly kicked Murthy while he was seated on a chair, and assaulted him. Ghani, who is undertrial prisoner number 18589, is also said to have assaulted the officer.

Last week, a high-level committee headed by R Hitendra, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, submitted a report to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara warning that Parappana Agrahara jail is operating on the brink of systemic failure.

According to the report submitted on January 14, the prison houses 4,834 inmates but has only 571 staff members, leaving 388 posts vacant. This translates to a prisoner-staff ratio of 1:9, well above the 1:6 ratio prescribed by the Model Prison Manual. When accounted for across three shifts, the ratio becomes 1:27 per shift, meaning that one officer is responsible for nearly 30 inmates at a time.

As per the report, between January 2021 and November 15, 2025, as many as 154 FIRs were registered in Bengaluru concerning illegal activities in the central prison. As of November 15, 2025, all 154 cases remain pending at the police station level.