Inmate killed in gang fight in Tihar

Tall claims of an effective security system at Tihar Jail proved hollow on Friday after an inmate was killed and three critically injured following a clash between two rival gangs.The incident occurred in sub-jail number one where high-risk prisoners are lodged.

“Javed (27), a resident of Seelampur area in north-east Delhi, was killed in the incident that occurred at 6:30 am on Friday,” said a jail official.

He added that nine persons were involved in the fight. One of them was critically injured and admitted to the intensive care unit at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Hospital. The official said the fight was an upshot of personal enmity brewing over the years. They were never made to share adjacent cells.

On Friday morning, fight broke out as they were being shifted to another cell. The incident occurred near a construction site and continued for 15 minutes, until they were separated by security officers.

“A prisoner of a rival gang caught hold of a spade, which was lying in the lawn, while the attendance of inmates was being marked. He attacked Javed with it. Javed’s friends also attacked in retaliation,” said the official

Tihar jail spokesperson Sunil Gupta confirmed the news. “Two groups had old rivalries and this morning (Friday) they clashed. An inmate lost his life,” he said. The deceased was lodged in jail for the past seven years, informed Gupta. The injured have been identified as Ravi, Mukesh, Rahul, Naresh, Badari, Ravi, Mustafa and Sajjid.

Meanwhile, jail authorities have stepped up security for the 20 Pakistani inmates in the wake of Sarabjit Singh’s death. On Thursday night, all Pakistani prisoners were shifted to a high security ward and a senior officer was posted there.