india

Updated: Mar 21, 2020 19:56 IST

Clashes broke out in Kolkata’s Dum Dum central jail on Saturday after prison inmates attacked jail officials with bricks, ransacked furniture and set fire in some places alleging that neither were they being produced in court nor were they being allowed to meet their family members.

A senior police officer who didn’t wish to be named said that tear gas shells had to be fired to bring situation under control. Some persons were seriously injured in the clash.

“Because of corona outbreak courts are closed and family members are not being allowed inside the prisons as a precautionary measure. The inmates want that they should be released and have resorted to violence. We are looking into the matter,” said Ujjwal Biswas, correctional home minister of West Bengal.

The prison inmates had also demanded masks and sanitisers because of corona virus.

The clashes broke out around 12 noon. A large contingent of police, Rapid Action Force personnel and fire brigade tenders were rushed to the spot. Senior jail officials, police officers and the state fire minister Sujit Bose rushed to the spot.

Locals said that they saw smoke billowing out of the jail and even heard sounds of fire., even though police is yet to confirm whether any rounds were fired.

“Fire tenders are working. Not all places could be accessed. We are trying to bring situations under control,” said Sujit Bose, state fire minister.