Alappuzha: The assistant superintendent of the district jail has been accused of having asked a prisoner who had been released on bail to come to the jail and to help mount an assault on another detainee at the facility.
After fellow prisoners intervened, the injured man was taken to the General Hospital by the jail authorities. The incident was reported to the police from there.
Since the assaulted person was in judicial custody, the Alappuzha South Police have submitted a report to the magistrate, seeking permission to register a case. Faisal of Mannanchery, who was remanded in a case of attacking an old person and robbing a mobile phone, was assaulted in the district jail on July 21. A source said there was a minor clash in the jail earlier over the issue of serving food. The assault was an instance of settling scores, it is alleged.
The assistant superintendent had asked a peron from Komana in Ambalapuzha, who had obtained bail a week ago, to come to the room of the jail superintendent. He is accused of attacking his neighbours. Faisal was then taken out of his cell and brought to the room.
He was questioned about the dispute over serving food and was assaulted by the two people, according to the complaint. The in-out register at the jail has recorded that the man released on bail was in the jail between 12:05 pm and 12:50 pm. The doctor’s report said Faisal was assaulted at 12:40 pm.
Alappuzha district Jail superintendent R Sreekumar, confirmed that the Komana man had been called to the jail. After he was released on bail, he phoned in to complain that Faisal had assaulted him, the superintendent said. He was asked to come to the jail to inquire about the issue. Faisal, too, was called to the room. The superintendent said that Faisal was not assaulted in the manner alleged in the complaint.
However, jail officials themselves pointed out that if there is a clash between prisoners, the proper procedure is to inform the police, and the jail authorities are not authorised to summon a prisoner released on bail and collect evidence. The jail authorities have not informed the police about such an incident of clashes in the jail.
