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Goindwal jail assault: Authorities want deployment of CISF in prison
A day after gangster Deepak Tinu and his aide attacked three inamtes, Goindwal jail authorities on Monday decided to write to the state government for the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force.
A day after gangster Deepak Tinu, accused in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s killing case, and his associate Mandeep Singh alias Manna allegedly attacked their three fellow inmates and a security guard in Goindwal Central jail, the authorities on Monday decided to write to the state government for the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
On Sunday evening, Tinu and Manna had allegedly attacked Aman, Karanpreet Singh alias Fateh and Munish Kumar with an iron road and a sharp iron weapon. The trio has been undergoing treatment from Tarn Taran civil hospital. A guard of the jail, Sukhjinder Singh, was also injured in the assault.
One of the injured Aman’s father Tarsem Lal said, “My son and Fateh were lodged in the jail after a case of attempted murder was registered against them. Those who had accused my son and Fateh had links in the Goindwal jail. Using their links, they had tried to kill my son and Fateh. This is the clear lapse of the security. We demand justice and the state government should hold an independent probe into the matter. We also suspect the involvement of a jail official with the gangsters who had attacked my son.”
A senior jail official, who didn’t wish to be named said, “Tinu and Manna had come out of their cell making excuses for their medical checkup. As soon as they came out, they attacked their fellow inmates who were lodged in another barrack. The sharp weapon and an iron rod were broken from the doors of the prison by the accused.”
Jail superintendent Lalit Kohli said they have given their report to Tarn Taran police to register a case against Tinu and Manna.
Another jail official said, “After noticing back-to-back severe violations in the jail, we have decided to write to the department to provide central security in the prison as given to other high security jails of Punjab. Goindwal jail has many gangsters and other hardcore criminals lodged and a team of CIFS is required to maintain law and order in the prison.”
Kohli said they will write to the government for the deployment of a CISF company.
The jail has several more shortcomings, including shortage of staff. “We have 1800 inmates—250 convicts and 1550 under trials. However, we have been facing severe shortage of the security staff. After the inauguration of the jail, we had recruited 120 security personnel, but only 45 had joined. There are 90 barracks in the jail and it is quite difficult to keep watch on the activities of the inmates round the clock. We have also written for the installation of jammer in the prison. A proposal for installing full body scanner is also under scrutiny.”
The jail houses many gangsters, including those involved in Sidhu Moose Wala’s killing case and the accused involved in the seizure of improvised explosive devices.
Tinu, who is said to be close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was arrested by the Delhi police from Rajasthan in October. Tinu had fled from Punjab Police’s custody when he was taken on production warrant by the Mansa police for his questioning in the Moose Wala’s killing case. Police sources had said Tinu had hatched the conspiracy to flee from the police custody by staying in the Goindwal jail.
Similarly, last month, Tarn Taran police had arrested accused involved in the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack at Sarhali police station. With the arrest of the accused, the police had claimed that the conspiracy of the attack was hatched in the Goindwal jail.
Earlier, the jail superintendent had said witnessing increasing throwing of mobile phones and other banned contrabands from outside the jail, they had written to Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP) for deploying a patrolling team and installing a permanent check post outside the jail.
In October, special task force (STF) of Punjab Police had busted a high-profile network of gangsters which was being operated allegedly in collusion of a deputy superintendent in the jail.
