By IANS
Jalandhar : Scores of inmates went on a rampage in the central jail in this Punjab city Sunday following the mysterious death of a prisoner inside the jail complex.
The police and jail staff took over three hours to bring the riot by jail inmates under control.
This is the second time within three months that jail inmates have indulged in a riot inside the jail premises. In January this year, the inmates had gone on a rampage for nearly five hours after a clash with jail staff. The provocation then was that jail officials cut a Sikh inmate’s hair.
The inmates went on a rampage after Jaspal Singh, an inmate, was found dead Sunday morning. They alleged that Singh died because contaminated water was being supplied to the inmates and also because he was not given timely medical attention after he suffered from stomach ache.
The riotous inmates damaged jail property and even set parts of the prison complex on fire. Over 10 fire tenders had to be rushed to the jail complex to put out the fires set by the prisoners.
Senior district officials, including the deputy commissioner and the district police chief, rushed to the jail after trouble broke out.
A probe has been ordered by the district administration into the death of the jail inmate and also into Sunday’s rioting, said deputy commissioner A.S. Pannu.