Incarceration is no deterrent to Ludhiana Central Jail inmates, especially gangsters, who are able to orchestrate attacks, host hookah parties and indulge in drug trade and consumption from well within their barracks.
Four such incidents have been reported in the past 15 days, where the role of jailed accused came to the fore. In case of recent violent clashes, it was learnt that suspected gangsters Puneet Bains and Shubham Arora were possessing mobile phones, through which they stage-managed the attacks.
The latest incident of booze and hookah party inside the prison by local gangster Manwinder Singh alias Nikka Jattana and his accomplices spoke volumes about security arrangements inside the central jail.
The inmates not only sourced liquor and hookah from outside, but also recorded videos and posted them on social networking sites. A probe has already been marked in the case.
On June 3, Division Number 2 police had booked a jailed accused for threatening a rape victim and her husband over phone to withdraw her complaint which she had filed against him in May 2020. The accused said if she did not withdraw the complaint, he would kill her husband and children.
On May 21, Khanna police had arrested a person for supplying weapons to criminals and different gangs. The police had recovered 11 illegal pistols and three bullets from his possession. Aditya Kapoor alias Makkhan of Amritsar, who is a habitual offender, used to smuggle illegal weapons inside Kapurthala jail using a mobile phone. Later, the police brought him on a production warrant.
{{/usCountry}}On May 21, Khanna police had arrested a person for supplying weapons to criminals and different gangs. The police had recovered 11 illegal pistols and three bullets from his possession. Aditya Kapoor alias Makkhan of Amritsar, who is a habitual offender, used to smuggle illegal weapons inside Kapurthala jail using a mobile phone. Later, the police brought him on a production warrant.
{{/usCountry}}Ludhiana Central Jail superintendent Balkar Singh said they had been conducting regular checks inside the prison. “We have recovered many mobile phones from the inmates,” he added.
Criminal history of gangsters
Gangsters Puneet Bains and Shubham Arora had been indulging in gang wars since October 2019 when shots were fired at an eatery in Transport Nagar following an argument.
In February 2020, Arora, along with his accomplices, had assaulted Bains. The Moti Nagar police had registered an FIR against Youth Congress leader Ankit Pandit, district Youth Congress (central) president Shubham Arora, Rishav, Sam Oberoi, Sandeep and seven others. After the assault, the accused had surrendered before the police.
On June 8, 2020, the Division Number 3 police had registered an attempt to murder case against Bains and his accomplices for opening fire outside the house of Rishav Banipal in Dharmpura.
Bains was arrested from Delhi in a joint operation by a team of the Ludhiana counter intelligence and organised crime control unit on September 13, 2020. The police had recovered two .32 bore pistols, a magazine, five live bullets, and a .9mm pistol from his possession.
The police have now decided to bring both gangsters on a production warrant from jail for questioning in five cases of violent clashes that occurred between members of both gangs in the past three days.
Eight mobile phones, tobacco sachets recovered from jail
Meanwhile, eight mobile phones, seven SIM cards, ₹700 and three sachets of tobacco were recovered from seven inmates of Ludhiana Central Jail on Sunday night during a special checking.
The Division Number 7 police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the accused.
Assistant jail superintendent Surinder Kumar lodged a complaint stating that during the special checking, five mobile phones were recovered from Charanjit Singh, Joginderpal, Sidharth Gandhi, Ajay Singh, Dharminder Shanky, Ajay and Pankaj, while three mobile phones were found dumped near their barrack.
The police have also recovered seven SIM cards from the accused.
Assistant sub-inspector Tajinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said police will bring the accused on a production warrant for questioning to know how did they manage to sneak in mobile phones inside the prison.
A case has been registered under Sections 52 A (1), 42 and 45 of the Prisons Act at the Division Number 7 police station.