Munish Sood
Dharamshala
Himachal Pradesh’s prison system came under fresh scrutiny after violence erupted inside two jails in the state, with separate clashes reported at Nahan and Dharamshala within a span of a day. Several undertrial prisoners and jail personnel were injured in the incidents.
The first incident was reported from the Central Jail at Nahan in Sirmaur district, where two groups of undertrial prisoners clashed inside the prison late Saturday night. The violence reportedly broke out in the ‘A’ Block and quickly escalated as a large number of inmates became involved.
Jail staff rushed to the spot after being alerted, but the situation could not be brought under immediate control. Additional officials were called in and managed to contain the violence after considerable effort.
Several inmates sustained injuries in the clash. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of injured prisoners or disclosed what triggered the confrontation.
Acting on a complaint filed by Jail Deputy Superintendent Sita Ram, Nahan Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Sirmaur Superintendent of Police NS Negi said the circumstances leading to the clash were being examined.
Four inmates, four jail staff injured in Dharamshala
In a separate incident at the Lala Lajpat Rai District Open and Correctional Home in Dharamshala, a dispute between inmates and jail staff over arrangements for taking an inmate to hospital turned violent on Sunday afternoon.
What began as an argument over the deployment of a guard allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation, leaving four prisoners and four members of the jail security staff injured.
The injured personnel have been identified as Head Constable Rakesh Verma, Suraj, Ajit and Shivram. All four were shifted to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda for treatment.
The confrontation reportedly took a serious turn when a glass window was smashed. Pieces of broken glass were allegedly used during the assault, resulting in injuries to people on both sides.
Dharamshala Police reached the correctional facility after being informed about the incident and registered cross-FIRs. Investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the role of those involved.
Jail had faced controversy earlier
The latest violence has added to concerns surrounding the Dharamshala facility, which had come under scrutiny nearly two months ago following the death of an undertrial prisoner in allegedly suspicious circumstances. The incident had triggered controversy and raised questions about the functioning and security arrangements at the jail.
With two separate violent incidents now being reported from major correctional facilities in the state, questions are likely to be raised over inmate management, security protocols and the handling of disputes inside Himachal Pradesh’s prisons.
