By IANS
Patna : The police late Tuesday evening used force to break the day-long siege of Patna’s high-security Beur jail by Maoist inmates and immediately launched a massive search operation in the cells to seize hidden arms, ammunition and cell phones.
The police had to resort to mild baton charge to disperse the Maoists from the inner core of the Beur jail and send them back to their wards.
Much to the relief of the state government top brass, the siege ended without any violence.
Jail authorities claimed the administration has taken over control of the jail.
Hours after hundreds of angry Maoist inmates took control of a large part of the jail, armed personnel of Bihar Police, Special Task Force and Special Auxiliary Police moved in, ready to use force, if the need arose, in confrontation with the Maoist rebels.
Over 400 police personnel were deployed both inside and outside the jail to end the stalemate.
Earlier, top government and police officials were involved in negotiating with the agitating inmates.
Inspector General (Law and Order) of Bihar Police, Anil Sinha, claimed earlier in the day that the situation was under control in Beur jail.
He downplayed the issue of inmates laying a siege to the inner wing of the jail, saying only 200 Maoist inmates were agitating in support of their demands, including for a probe into the suicide by a Maoist inmate, Nagina Manjhi, a few days ago.
Sources in the district administration said negotiations with the Maoist inmates could not succeed as the rebels demanded a compensation of Rs.2.5 million for Manjhi’s kin.
It all started when Maoist inmates attacked police personnel on duty inside the jail, forcing them to flee. The inmates freed two top Maoist leaders, including Ajay Kanu, by breaking open the iron door of the cell where they were lodged.
Kanu was the mastermind behind the 2005 Jehanabad jailbreak when around 300 inmates, including 150 Maoists, escaped. He was later arrested and lodged in Beur jail.
The Maoists also reportedly assaulted some inmates, including a legislator, who tried to pacify them.
Maoists inmates have been staging a protest inside the jail premises for the last few days after Nagina Manjhi, 40, a member of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), committed suicide Dec 14.
Manjhi was found hanging from the iron gate of the jail infirmary where he was being treated for a minor ailment.
Official sources said over 300 Maoists are lodged in Beur jail.
According to jail officials, there are about 2,400 inmates in Beur jail, almost more than double the capacity of the prison.
Maoist inmates have accused jail officials of failing to provide prompt medical help to Manjhi. They began a hunger strike inside the jail Sunday to protest the lack of proper facilities.
After news spread about the uprising, top police officials rushed to the jail from Patna and additional security forces were deployed.
Jails across Bihar were put on high alert Monday, a day after around 300 Maoists escaped from a jail in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.
Hundreds of Maoists, including their self-styled commanders, zonal commanders and area commanders are lodged in 56 prisons across the state.