SRINAGAR: A series of violent protests broke out in Srinagar’s Central Jail on Thursday night after prisoners refused to leave their barracks.
The inmates were apprehensive that they would be shifted to other jails and therefore resisted the efforts by the authorities to relocate them.
Sources said the trouble started on Thursday night after the jail authorities asked the prisoners lodged in two barracks of Central Jail Srinagar to shift to other cells as the barracks had to be renovated.
“They refused to leave the place and clashed with the police and paramilitary personnel, who barged into the barracks to vacate them,” a source said.
Sources added that when the security men left the place to prevent an outbreak of violence, the inmates allegedly set a temporary shelter on fire.
Several blasts were also heard from inside the jail and sources said these were caused by LPG cylinder blasts that were taken by prisoners from the mess.
The prisoners tried to reach the outer cordon of the jail, which is in downtown Srinagar. Sensing trouble, security personnel resorted to shelling tear gas to bring the situation under control.
Two prisoners were injured and were shifted to the police hospital.
Dozens of firefighters were also rushed to the prison to extinguish the fire.
The authorities had imposed restrictions in areas adjoining the central jail and also snapped mobile internet services in Srinagar.
Parents and relatives of the inmates rushed to the jail to know about the well-being of their wards. The cops fired smoke shells to disperse them.
“My son is lodged in jail. I am worried about the safety and security of my ward,” said a woman standing near the main gate of the jail.