Ten injured after clashes in Ludhiana jail

Police opened fire in the air to control the situation after the inmates pelted them with stones and bricks. Assistant commissioner of police Sandeep Wadhera was among the five policemen who suffered injuries in the violence.

At least 10 people were injured after a clash between police and prisoners protesting the death of an inmate erupted on Thursday in the central jail in Punjab’s Ludhiana, officials said.

The protest intensified when jail staff tried to disperse the inmates following which heavy police force was deployed. (Gurpreet Singh/ HT PHOTO)

Police opened fire in the air to control the situation after the inmates pelted them with stones and bricks. Assistant commissioner of police Sandeep Wadhera was among the five policemen who suffered injuries in the violence. Five prisoners were also injured.

The inmates also set furniture and gas cylinder on fire.

Officials said the inmates started a protest after an ailing prisoner, who was shifted to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, died. The protest intensified when jail staff tried to disperse them following which a heavy police force was deployed.

Six inmates also tried to escape after crossing the compound wall of the jail but were nabbed, they added.

Videos, allegedly recorded by prisoners, showed several inmates shouting and accusing the police of firing shots and injuring them. At least two shots were also heard in the background as they hurled obscenities.

Deputy commissioner Pradeep Agarwal said the situation is under control.