Coronavirus in India: Shutdown sparks clash between inmates, officials at Kolkata's Dum Dum central jail
The inmates at the Dum Dum central jail in Kolkata ransacked furniture, pelted stones at officials and set fire in some places even as there were signs of an attempt to jailbreak, sources said.
Angry over ban on meeting their family members till March 31 due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, inmates at the Dum Dum central jail in Kolkata attacked jail officials Saturday afternoon.
They ransacked furniture, pelted stones at officials and set fire in some places even as there were signs of an attempt to jailbreak, sources said.
Sources said that several persons including the jail superintendent, some inmates and policemen have been injured in the clashes.
According to West Bengal Minister Ujjwal Biswas, a section of prisoners was angry as their family members were not allowed to meet them till March 31 in view of Covid-19 outbreak across the country.
The bail hearing of undertrials, which has got postponed due to court shutdown, was another reason that further fumed the anger among inmates, sources said.
The prisoners pelted stones at police officials who then rushed to control the situation.
Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot after inmates set fire in some portions of the jail.
Barrackpore police commissioner Manoj Verma led a huge contingent of riot police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) which fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob of inmates.
The situation has been brought under control.
Police were deployed to cordon off the entire area outside the jail premises.
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