Drunk prisoners go on rampage, attack cops

Eight undertrials accused in murder cases consumed liquor inside the sub-jail here and went on the rampage setting documents and papers on fire during wee hours of Thursday.

They also damaged furniture and a television set, besides locking horns with other inmates and assaulting policemen who rushed inside to control the situation. They locked the door from inside and demanded immediate visit of a judge. However, they opened the door after marathon efforts by senior police officers led by SP Divya Gopinath.

According to the police, Harish, a prisoner, had gone on parole. He returned to the sub-jail with expensive liquor. He misled the sub-jail authorities and brought the liquor inside. Later, Harish and seven others, Nagendra, Nagesh, Chetan, Bhutaraju, Narasimha Murthy, Gurumurthy and Yogesh had a drink.

Minutes later, the drunk inmates went on the rampage and picked fights with other prisoners, said the police.

On being informed, the police rushed there only to be assaulted by the drunk undertrials. The SP too reached the spot and attempted to convince them to open the door, but in vain. Harish and his associates said that they would open the door only if the judge came to the sub-jail, added the police.

The judge rushed there. After marathon efforts by the police and the judge, they opened the door. The police entered in and detained all the eight.