One under-trial inmate was allegedly killed in a firing at the Dum Dum correctional home while several inmates sustained injuries after a fracas broke out between two groups of prisoners. The jailer also got injured in the mayhem. The two groups clashed over the curbs in jail due to coronavirus scourge, the police said.

The Presidency jail at Alipore also witnessed some commotion after the Dum Dum incident went viral. “An under-trial is believed to have been killed and the jailer of the Dum Dum correctional home along with several police officers sustained serious injuries after a clash broke out between two groups of prisoners who were angry over the imposing of several curbs, such as bar on meeting family members of the prisoners. Several members of the police who rushed to control the clash and disperse the warring groups sustained severe injuries after they were pelted with stones,” claimed a source close to the Dum Dum jail authorities.

Though the source refused to confirm the death of an under-trial in a police firing, the family sources of the deceased alleged that the under-trial was killed in police firing. A source claimed that they were venting their anger over the restrictions put in place by the jail authorities regarding meeting with the family members in the wake of coronavirus, and the alleged discrimination over granting parole to the prisoners.

Reinforcements, led by the Barrackpore police commissioner Manoj Verma and ADG, CID Siddhinath Gupta, charged inside to control the clash and the agitated prisoners retaliated immediately, attacking the police with stones. The combat the violent situation, reinforcements from other police stations had to be deployed. The police fired teargas shells to quell the rampaging mob, indulged in arson inside the jail premise.

The prisoners allegedly attempted to scamper out of the jail. Meanwhile, Peeyush Pandey has been appointed as ADG and IGP, correctional services, who was Pandey earlier ADG and IGP, SCRB. A huge police force from Lalbazar and officers from the anti-rowdy section of Kolkata police rushed to the spot to gain control of the situation.