3 cops,6 inmates hurt in Kapurthala jail clash

The injured policemen have been identified as Havildar Balbir Singh and Tejpal Singh and Jaswant Singh.

Among the injured jail inmates were Pritam Singh,Rattanbir Singh,Jonny,Davinder Singh,Paramjit Singh and Jagjit Singh. Pritam has been admitted in local civil hospital where his condition is stated to be serious.

Jail Superintendent Sikander Singh said the trouble started when staff launched a search exercise after they got to know that somebody had thrown a mobile phone and some intoxicants inside the jail from outside.

During the search the items were recovered from prisoners Paramjit Singh alias Rinka and Ratu.

Agitated over the recovery,prisoners attacked the jail staff and even misbehaved with Jail DSP Iqbal Singh resulting in injuries to two jail wardens. The inmates allegedly assaulted Pritam Singh as they suspected him of giving information to the jail staff regarding their illegal acts.

The jail authorities requisitioned additional force to control the situation.

The relatives of the Paramjit Singh and Ratu assembled outside the jail and staged a protest against the authorities.

The injured head constable Balbir Singh told mediapersons that Paramjit and his associates attacked him with bricks when he questioned them about the mobile and intoxicants.

City DSP Kulwant Singh Heer and Naib Tehsildar Manveer Singh Dhillon visited the jail to probe the incident.

Jail Superintendent Sikander Singh said the situation was under control and the jail authorities would register a case against the prisoners for attacking the jail staff.

Paramjit Singh is undergoing life imprisonment and was brought back here from Ludhiana cental jail few days ago,according to sources.

It may be noted that the jail can house only 250 prisoners but 428 inmates have been forced to stay here. Only 44 policemen have been assigned to manage the operations at the jail.