Goa: Judicial probe begins into failed jailbreak bid

Nearly a month after all 53 inmates at Sada sub-jail made a failed attempt to escape from the prison, a court in Vasco today began enquiry into the incident in which a history sheeter lost his life.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Durga Madkaikar recorded statement of a senior jail official.
Vinayak Karbotkar, a prisoner who was shifted from the Nasik Central Jail to Goa as trials were pending against him in cases of murder and extortion, was found dead with head injuries while 12 others, including Jailor Vithal Gawas, were injured during the melee on the night of January 24.

Gawas was the first official to depose before the court today.
The Judge is expected to record statements of some inmates.
The prisoners had allegedly broken the security ring and reached near the jail's main gate, but were repulsed by the police teams which were rushed to control the situation.

According to jail officials, trouble began after Korbatkar, who was ordered to be shifted to Oras Jail in Maharashtra, was brought back to the sub-jail after the authorities in neighbouring state refused to accept him.
The preliminary enquiry conducted by the Inspector General of Prison found that Karbotkar, kept in isolation in cell number 14, had attacked the jail guard and later provoked others from cell number 13 and 15 to break open main gates.

The prisoners later ransacked the jail premises which included a dispensary and a kitchen, and took hold of knives and scissors which they later used to attack the jailor.
The situation was brought under control by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who cane charged the prisoners who had broken two security rings and were about to slip out.
The judicial probe is also looking into death of Karbotkar.
"Karbotkar's body was found in the prison premises while CRPF was engaged in pushing back the prisoners into the cell," a senior jail official had said on the condition of anonymity.