Srinagar, (Jammu and Kashmir): A minor group clash broke out in Central Jail in Rainawari area of Srinagar's Downtown, a police official said on Tuesday. The situation was quickly brought under control and no significant injuries or damage was reported, he added.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Imtiyaz Hussain, confirmed the incident to ETV Bharat, adding that the incident took place inside the high-security cell, housing several detainees, including those tried under militancy-related and other serious charges. Although authorities described the altercation as "minor", it reportedly disrupted the normal routine of prison briefly.
To recall, a similar incident took place inside the Srinagar Central Jail in April 2019, when several inmates objected to being moved to make way for repair and renovation work in some of the barracks. The detainees, apprehensive of being transferred to jails outside J&K, went on a rampage, vandalising jail property and setting ablaze at least two barracks and the jail mess. The fire incident also led to a cylinder explosion, further escalating the tension.
The latest incident again puts a spotlight on the fragile environment within the prison, where a small issue such as relocation and other administrative decisions can quickly spiral out of control. "Tuesday's scuffle was much smaller in scale and was swiftly managed by the jail authorities," a senior police official said.
Meanwhile, authorities have assured that the situation is now stable, and no further incidents have been reported. The Central Jail in Srinagar remains under heightened surveillance to prevent any recurrence of such disturbances.
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