Tension after prisoners-police clash, jail official transferred

Tension prevailed following clashes between officials and prisoners in a Bihar jail that left at least 17 people injured. Later, the jail superintendent was transferred.

At least 12 prisoners and five police officials were injured in the clashes late Saturday in the prison in Sitamarhi district, officials said.

Bihar IG Prisons Prem Singh Meena visited the jail, inquired into the incident and ordered transfer of jail superintendent Avinash Kumar.

"After he found negligence on part of jail authorities, he ordered transfer of jail superintendent late Sunday evening," a district official said.

The trouble started when jail officials tried to disperse a group of angry prisoners who were protesting against shifting of former Maoists Santosh Jha and Samrat Choudhary from the prison.

District Magistrate Pratima S. Verma said some prisoners attacked jail officials, and pelted stones, broken glass and bricks at them.

A few prisoners tried to break free after the clash and were injured when the police opened fire to control them, Verma said.

He said the situation was now tense but under control.

Police official Arun Kumar said some inmates set ablaze a hospital in the prison complex and ransacked an office building.

Authorities have deployed paramilitary troopers in the jail.