Muktsar, Punjab: Tension and violence gripped the Muktsar district jail on Friday evening as a clash erupted between rival groups of inmates, leaving four prisoners hospitalised and prompting police action. Authorities have registered a case against 23 inmates involved in the incident.
According to reports, the trouble began in Block 6, where a group of inmates, allegedly led by Gurmeet Singh, alias ‘Meeta,’ and Baljinder Singh, alias ‘Gandhi,’ assaulted a jail guard, Rana Singh, forcibly taking his keys. During the altercation, the group also locked another guard inside the block and freed additional inmates to join the chaos.
The attackers then moved toward the de-addiction barrack to target a rival inmate faction. According to the FIR filed by Assistant Superintendent Nachhattar Singh, the group broke the lock of the de-addiction block using an iron rod. When another guard, Rajvir Singh, tried to intervene, he was beaten and his uniform torn. The inmates attacked their rivals with iron rods and a sharp weapon, causing multiple injuries. The violence escalated further when associates of the targeted group attempted to break out of their barracks in retaliation, resulting in a full-blown riot inside the jail.
Jail officials, including Assistant Superintendents Varinder Kumar, Sukhmander Singh, and Nachhattar Singh, quickly rushed to the scene after the alarm was raised. They were able to regain control of the situation and secured all inmates back in their respective barracks.
Inspector Varun Yadav, SHO of Muktsar Sadar police station, confirmed that a case has been registered in connection with the incident. He also stated that four injured inmates were admitted to Muktsar Civil Hospital for treatment.
Authorities are investigating the incident to determine how the violence escalated and to prevent future clashes within the prison. The situation has highlighted concerns about security and management inside district jails in Punjab.
