Two groups of undertrials today clashed in Gurdaspur jail here after one group thrashed two jail wardens, forcing the police to open fire in the air, to rein them in, police said.
The incident took place this afternoon when a group of gangsters led by Shera, who was shifted from Kapurthala jail to central jail here recently, allegedly thrashed a jail warden Mahesh Kumar when he went to escort them from from their barrack to conduct their medical examination.
As they were beating him up, another jail warden Mohinder Masih came to rescue Mahesh. But undertrials thrashed him as well, police said.
Both were beaten up with water supply pipes, police said.
In the meantime, another group of under trials, tried to save jail staff members. Following which, a clash took place between both the groups.
Some of the undertrials even set the quilts in the barrack on fire and climbed to the jail rooftop raising slogans against jail authorities.
The inmates even pelted bricks and damaging CCTV cameras installed in the premises, police said.
Jail authorities then called the police for back up.
Police had to open fire in the air to control the situation. Fire tenders were also called to put out the fire.
Gurdaspur SSP Bhupinderjeet Singh Virk said the under trials were upset over the increased security measures.
ADGP Prisons Rohit Chaudhary rushed to Gurdaspur jail from Chandigarh to take stock of the situation.
Chaudhary said the situation was under control. "An inquiry into this incident is being conducted," he said.
Notably, in a separate incident, six prisoners including two terrorists had escaped when a group of armed men freed them from high security Nabha jail in Patiala district in November last year.
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