Pakistani inmate allegedly murdered in Jaipur jail

A Pakistani prisoner lodged in the central jail of Jaipur was allegedly murdered following a quarrel with other prisoners on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the jail authorities, the incident took place around 1:30 PM on Wednesday when Shakrullah along with eight other inmates were watching television in the jail premises.

"There were nine people watching television in room 53 of ward 10. They were watching songs on high volume. Shakrullah told them to lower the volume. In its reaction, four inmates attacked him with a slab made of stone and started beating him up. The four inmates who were the hardened criminals were Manoj, Ajit, Kulvendra Gujjar, Bajan Meena" NRK Reddy, DG Jail told DH.

According to the jail authorities, all four were hardened criminals who were convicted under different cases. According to the Reddy further action will be taken against those four inmates as per National Human Rights Commission guidelines. The FIR which is under process will be lodged under section 302 murder, CrPC 176 magisterial enquiry in custodial death.

Shakrullah (50), was from Pakistan Punjab’s Sialkot. He was lodged in the prison since 2011 and was undergoing life imprisonment after his conviction in a terror-related case. “A Pakistani prisoner was allegedly murdered today in the central jail. The matter will be investigated by a judicial magistrate and also by the police,” Rajasthan Director General of Police Kapil Garg confirmed earlier in the day.

His post mortem will be conducted on the jail premises under judicial supervision.

Previous incidents

The incident has also put a question mark on the security in the Rajasthan Jails. In April 2018 Shambhu Lal Regar, an accused of killing Muslim labourer from West Bengal Mohammed Afrazul in Rajsamand, made a video from Jodhpur Central jail and claimed a threat to his life. In the two videos he circulated on social media, Regar alleged that a prisoner from West Bengal could try to kill him. The release of the video on social media raised several questions on jail authorities and has termed it as a major security breach.

The incident comes a few days after Pulwama attack took place, where a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF personnel. Pakistan-based proscribed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident is reminiscent of the Sarabjit Singh case, where the Punjab native was brutally attacked and murdered by his fellow prisoners at Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat Jail in April 2013.