Ludhiana jail violence: Blast video goes viral, cops in a tizzy

Ludhiana: Weeks after violence rocked Ludhiana Central Jail in which one inmate was killed and several other inmates and cops were injured, another video of the violence with the footage of the cylinder blast in the premises has gone viral on the social media.

Officials said the video seems to have been recorded by some jail inmate on ‘Viva videos’ with a song of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in the background.

The song states ‘Devil de naal na tu khed nakhro, vaardat hundi da pata ni lagna’ (Don’t play with Devil, you never know when will a crime take place...).

This nine-second video has captured a view of cylinder blast carried out by the jail inmates on June 27.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (special branch) Surendra Lamba said the police came to know about the viral video a few days ago. “It has been confirmed that the video has been shot by an inmate involved in the cylinder blast during jail violence. The police are trying to trace who has shot this video and made it viral,” he said.

Senior officials said they were trying to find the origin of the video with the help of cyber experts and subsequently will register a case.

The inmates had attacked jail staff with stones and bricks and set the jail property on fire following the death of an inmate.

The inmates had claimed that they were agitated against the killing of fellow inmate Sunny Sood, who they alleged was thrashed by the jail staff and had later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. On the other hand, officials had claimed that Sunny had consumed some poisonous substance following which he had died. Police had also claimed that two notoriuos criminals in the jail had hatched a conspiracy to create ruckus by provoking inmates so that they could escape.

In the firing, another inmate Ajit Singh had died in the jail. A magisterial inquiry is being conducted into the matter by deputy commissioner Pradeep Agarwal. Sunny’s viscera has been sent to Kharar laboratory which will ascertain the cause of death.

Box: Different takes

July 27 | Jail inmates created ruckus in jail premises accusing jail staff of thrashing inmate Sunny Sood, who later died in a hospital. Inmates attacked jail staff with stones and bricks. In retaliation, jail and police officials opened fire. During firing, one inmate Ajit Singh died and another inmate Pankaj Rajput sustained bullet injury

June 28 | 21 inmates were booked for attempt to murder and rioting on the basis of statement by the jail superintendent. Jail officials claimed that two inmates Harinder Singh and Bhupinder Singh were the conspirator of the violence as they wanted to escape

June 29 | Meera Devi, mother of Ajit Singh, claimed that her son was shot dead by jail staff in front of her eyes when she had gone to meet him. She claimed that her son was coming to meet her and was not creating ruckus. An inquiry was marked to ADCP-4 Ajinder Singh which is under progress.