Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, March 14

The Gurdaspur police had to requisition the services of cops from adjoining police districts to control two groups of angry inmates at Gurdaspur central jail even as tear gas shells were used to bring things under control.

Four policemen, including Dhariwal police station SHO Mandeep Salgotra, were injured.

The gravity of their injuries could not be ascertained as almost all top brass of the Gurdaspur police rushed to the jail and their mobile phones were switched off.

Navinder Singh, SP (Jails), was not present when the clash took place. It is said he was away to Chandigarh to attend a meeting.

The road leading to the jail premises was sealed around noon giving rise to speculation that some VIP was paying a visit to the prison.

This was partly because of the fact that Punjab and Haryana High court judge Mahabir Singh Sindhu had visited the jail complex two days ago.

Locals were of the view that yet another VIP visit was on even as the police raised the security apparatus several notches higher.

It was only when the cops used tear gas shells that locals got to know that a clash was taking place among inmates. The high-decibel noise emanating from the jail complex after inmates blasted an LPG cylinder only added to the confusion.

Minutes after the clash had started, SSP Harish Dayama reached the prison.

Dayama, after seeing that things were getting out of control, requisitioned the services of policemen of the neighbouring police districts Hoshiarpur, Batala and Pathankot.

The immediate provocation for the altercation between the two groups came after some inmates close to gangster Gopi started using abusive language against some fellow inmates.

Residents of colonies located on the periphery of the jail said firing was taking place inside the jail. However, a senior officer claimed no firing had taken place and the loud noises being heard were those of tear gas shells being used.

Anti-riot vehicles and the fire brigade could be seen going inside the jail.

The last time such a major clash took place was on March 24, 2017 when two groups had clashed. At that time too, police of neighbouring districts had to be requisitioned.

Sources claimed the lop-sided inmates-staff ratio of 1500:90 contributed to the tension inside the prison.