Notorious gangster Arjun Tyagi shot dead in Indore jail

A prisoner was killed in firing inside the high-security Indore central jail on Thursday morning. The victim, Anil Tyagi, was shot dead by another jail inmate over an old enmity, suspect the police officials.

Notorious gangster Arjun Tyagi was shot dead inside the high-security Indore central jail on Thursday morning by a fellow prisoner who nursed a grudge against him, police said.

Tyagi received critical injuries and was rushed to Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital where he was declared dead. Some other prisoners were also injured in the firing.

Sources said five rounds were fired in the incident, all from a country-made pistol.

Tyagi was an accused in the murder of Shiv Prasad Awasthi, a real estate developer with criminal background who was shot dead earlier in June this year. Tyagi was shot by Awasthi’s son’s friend Jitendra Thakur alias Jitu, who is also lodged in the same jail.

Thakur has confessed killing Tyagi to avenge his friend’s father’s murder, police said.

"Jitu is a murder convict and a resident of Dewas. He is a friend of Jitendra Awasthi whose father was killed by the deceased inmate," ASP Ramji Shrivasatva told HT.

Prison administration is trying to find out how Thakur managed to get the weapon inside the jail premises, the police ASP said. "During the initial quizzing Jitu confessed that the pistol was provided by his friend Jitendra a few days back. We are investigating from where the pistol was provided to the accused."

Prison sources said Thakur, who was lodged in barrack number 1 went to Tyagi’s barrack number 4. The two spoke for a few minutes. Thakur suddenly fired at Tyagi from a point blank range. Tyagi died immediately.

After the incident Indore police launched a massive search operation inside the barracks. Only last month an under trial prisoner was killed in one of the wards of Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital.

In the late evening development, ADG (Jail) Surendra Singh suspended five jail officials following the murder inside the jail premises. "A probe has been ordered and action will be taken if anyone found guilty for the security lapse," Singh told HT. The suspended prison officials included deputy superintendent Sujit Khare, assistant superintendent Ramesh Marwa, a head warder and two warders, the ADG said.