By IANS
Jalandhar : A day after prisoners went on a rampage inside the Jalandhar central jail here, the district administration Tuesday ordered a magisterial probe into the rioting and sought a report within a week.
An uneasy calm prevailed in the prison complex, located in a congested residential area of this city, following the rioting by inmates who not only took control of the prison but also set a portion of it on fire following a clash with jail officials.
Hundreds of relatives of prisoners arrived from all over Punjab Tuesday upon hearing of the rampage to ask about their jailed kins’ well-being.
Punjab’s Director General of Police for prisons Izhar Alam also inspected the prison complex Tuesday with senior officials.
On Monday, the prison department suspended jail superintendent Satpal, who was accused of getting the hair of a Sikh prisoner shorn for not falling in line with his diktats, triggering resentment among the prisoners.
Prison inmates went on a hunger-strike Monday morning, which led to a clash with jail officials. The agitated prisoners took control of the prison complex and set a portion of it on fire and damaged other buildings and property.
For nearly three hours, the jail was under the control of prisoners though none could escape as armed contingents of the Punjab police surrounded it from all sides.
The police had to fire in the air and tear-gas the prisoners.