LUDHIANA: In news for murder and clashes among inmates, the Ludhiana central jail was rocked again on Friday evening as five prisoners attacked an undertrial, accused in a sacrilege case, with an
iron rod, leaving him seriously injured.
Jagjeet Singh, accused in a sacrilege case, suffered fracture in both legs and had serious injuries on his arms. The attackers did not spare even the jail staff who came to the rescue of the inmate.
Taking serious note of the incident, jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa marked an inquiry into the incident on Saturday.
Soon after the attack, a supporter of Bambiha gang posted an update on Facebook taking the responsibility behind the attack and naming one of the attackers as a member of the gang. The post in Punjabi mentioned that the inmate Jagjeet Singh was attacked to avenge the act of sacrilege.
Jagjeet Singh was brought to Ludhiana jail on June 14 following his involvement in the case of desecration of
Guru Granth Sahib in
Nawanshahr.
Jail officials said the incident occurred on Friday evening when the barracks were opened for a while to give food to inmates. Soon Harsimranjeet Singh Simma, Simranjeet Bablu, Amandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and Gupreet Gopi, who were locked up in the adjoining barrack, attacked Jagjeet with an iron rod. After hearing his cries, the warden and another security personnel rushed to save Jagjeet, but the attackers overpowered and assaulted them as well. The injured was rushed to the civil hospital, where he is still undergoing treatment.
Jail officials are yet to probe if the message was updated on the Facebook from within the jail or from outside.
Jail superintendent Shamsher Singh Boparai said, “Jagjeet Singh is accused in a case of desecration and was locked up separately. But when the cells were opened in the evening to distribute food, the group of inmates attacked him. The accused used a metal water pipe for the attack. The accused manhandled two jail officials, including warden Pragat Singh, when he tried to rescue Jagjeet,” he said.
Responding to the Facebook update, Boparai said, “It has been confirmed that accused had thrashed Jagjeet Singh because of desecration. But the involvement of Bambiha gang is yet to be ascertained.”
Following a compliant from jail officials, the Division number 7 police have registered a case against the five attackers under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of IPC and Prisons Act.
Cyber cell to look into Fb update: Minister
Jail minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, “I have marked an inquiry to IG Prison R K Arora in the matter. Besides, we are taking help of the cyber cell to know how the information of the scuffle was leaked outside the jail and who all are linked with the case as mentioned in the Facebook post.”
Box: Three hours after the incident, a Facebook post came as a shocker in which a supporter of Davinder Bambiha gang took the responsibility, claiming that the attack was carried out to avenge the desecration of holy book by the inmate.
Representative image