Gunfire in Meerut jail as cops, inmates clash

Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), April 18 (IANS) Rioting broke out at the district jail here Wednesday with prisoners pelting stones at policemen and jail staff and forces resorting to gunfire, injuring two people, officials said. The exact reason behind the violence was yet to be ascertained.

The mob frenzy saw prisoners burning furniture and other government property in the Meerut jail, about 450 km from the state capital Lucknow. Reinforcements were called in. District police personnel fired several rounds to control the inmates, leading to two people, including a prison official, reportedly being injured.

Police officials at the Director General of Police headquarters confirmed that at least one person was reported to have received gunshot wounds.

This is the third jail riot in a month in the state.

A similar violent clash took place March 21 at Mau leaving two deputy jailers critically injured. The jail inmates went berserk after the death of their fellow inmate Shafiqur Rehman, a 22-year-old prisoner.

The prisoners attacked the prison staff with iron rods and utensils, leaving one of the deputy jailers, Rakesh Singh, critically wounded and another, Udai Raj, with severe head injuries.

In another case, a person was killed and several injured when clashes erupted inside the Basti prison March 11.