ROURKELA: The unrest at the Place of Safety (PoS) on Rourkela special jail premises has brought to the fore factional feud between two management groups of the correctional home.
Sources said an inquiry has been initiated into the allegations of mismanagement and violation of guidelines reportedly arising out of feuds between two management groups of the PoS.
On Wednesday, the correctional facility descended into chaos with an inmate attempting suicide followed by violent protest by others over alleged poor food quality and mismanagement. Normalcy returned on Thursday after Panposh sub-collector Bijay Nayak held discussion with the inmates and staff.
At the centre of the controversy is contractual superintendent of PoS Umesh Sabat whose entry to the correctional facility was restricted from June 23 pending an inquiry for violating guidelines.
Amid allegation of Sabat inciting the protest, the sub-collector, district child protection officer (DCPO) Sribanta Jena and others visited the facility. Nayak said the issue has been resolved and based on the inquiry report, appropriate action would be taken. He said the superintendent had violated guidelines by taking an inmate out of the PoS on May 16.
However, Sabat claimed he was punished for trying to correct several irregularities and pointed fingers at Rourkela special jail superintendent Jiban Singh Munda who controls the finances of the PoS as the acting drawing and disbursal officer.
Sabat said after joining in November 2023, he found the food menu for inmates was not followed. Less quantity of grocery and food items were procured and bills were raised for higher quantity. “I was forced to sign vouchers, but I continued to fight to ensure that the fund meant for inmates is spent on their benefits,” he said.
Sabat also claimed that Munda had illegally taken internet connection of the PoS and furniture to his official residence on the same campus. Some articles were returned to the PoS after he objected to it.
On being asked about the charges against him of taking an inmate out of the PoS on May 16, Sabat said the juvenile was suffering from intense migraine pain. After failing to contact the medical officer concerned, he claimed to have accompanied the inmate to a nearby medical store and returned with medicines.
Jail superintendent Munda did not respond to calls for comment.
Set up by the Women and Child Development department under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, the correctional home has 104 inmates and 16 contractual staff including the superintendent appointed under the Mission Vatsalya scheme.
On the direction of the Sundargarh collector, an inquiry team comprising an additional SP, deputy collector and others visited the correctional home on Wednesday following which inmates resorted to protest and refused to take lunch alleging mismanagement and poor quality food. They also demanded revocation of the ban on Sabat. Later, in the evening, the inmates went berserk and vandalised furniture before RN Pali police took control of the situation.