Two undertrials dead as rival prisoners clash in Tihar Jail

Two undertrials were killed and five prisoners injured when two rival groups of inmates clashed in the high-security Tihar Jail on Wednesday afternoon.

Seven jail officials, including one of the superintendents, also sustained injuries.
The dead were identified as Anil and Ishwar. The clash is the result of the growing rivalry between two groups led by two undertrials, said a jail official.

This is the second serious clash between rival gangs in Tihar jail in the last few months.
On August 25, two prisoners were killed and four injured in a fight in a prison van.

The clash took place in jail number 1 around 2 pm when jail officials, along with men from the Tamil Nadu Special Police, were taking Ishwar and two others, Shadab and Vijay, back from medical treatment at the dispensary situated inside the jail premises, said a jail official.

Anil and his two companions, Vaasu and Sandeep, had been waiting for them near an RO plant. They attacked the three prisoners with sharp-edged weapons.

According to sources, Ishwar ran towards ward number 4 in a bid to save himself. However, the attackers caught him after a chase and thrashed him brutally.

Ishwar’s supporters also arrived at the spot and grabbed Anil and started beating him.
Anil was beaten with bricks and stones lying on the premises by Ishwar’s accomplices, sources said.

Meanwhile, jail officials who had accompanied Ishwar and others to the dispensary informed their seniors about the fight.

A group of officials led by Superintendent Vinay Kumar arrived at the spot to handle the situation. But the agitated prisoners didn’t spare them also.

As there was commotion, other supporters of the rival gangs from ward numbers 1, 2 and 4 also joined in and started assaulting each other.

Vinay Kumar fractured his leg and six other officials sustained injuries, sources said.
More police personnel arrived at the spot and the situation was brought under control. The injured were first taken to the OPD at the jail hospital. Ishwar and Anil were then taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya hospital.

Later, there were protests outside the hospital as family members of the prisoners killed in the clash arrived there.