New Delhi: Two groups of inmates engaged in a clash in Punjab's Gurdaspur district central jail on Thursday, prompting district authorities to deploy a significant police force to quell the disturbance, news agency PTI reported.
While the exact cause of the clash remains unclear, reports indicate that the inmates resorted to vandalism within the jail premises and even hurled stones at police personnel.
To regain control of the situation, Gurdaspur police sought assistance from neighbouring areas such as Pathankot, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, and Batala, mobilising additional manpower, according to police officials.
During the attempt to stop the clash, four police personnel sustained injuries, including Mandeep Singh Salgotra, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Dhariwal police station. They were promptly admitted to a local hospital for treatment, police added.
Navinder Singh, the SP (Jails), was reportedly absent during the incident, as he was away in Chandigarh attending a meeting.
Residents residing in colonies adjacent to the jail reported hearing gunfire, but senior officers denied any such incidents, attributing the loud noises to the use of tear gas shells.
The situation prompted the deployment of anti-riot vehicles and the fire brigade to enter the premises of the jail, in an effort to restore order, according to the report.