AN FIR was registered against 41 named and several unidentified inmates for allegedly creating nuisance inside Varanasi district jail while protesting over the death of an undertrial.
The alleged that Rajesh Jaiswal, 53, died due to “negligence of jail staff.” They pelted stones and damaged furniture in the jail office, official sources said. They also pelted stones at an ambulance parked inside and at the barracks.
“The accused have been booked on various charges including rioting and creating obstruction in government work. More accused will be identified during investigation,” said station house officer, Lalpur Pandeypur police station, Sudhir Kumar Singh. The police are collecting CCTV footage of the scuffle.
Singh added that Jaiswal’s autopsy report is awaited and that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the death.
A resident of Sigra area in Varanasi, Jaiswal used to run a travel agency. He was lodged in jail for the past six months on forgery charges.
According to a jail official, Jaiswal of chest pain on Thursday and was taken to a hospital where doctors gave him medical aid. He was brought back to jail after his condition became stable.
On Friday morning, Jaiswal again of chest pain and was taken to hospital. He died during treatment, the official said.
On coming to know about the death, some inmates of the jail came out of their barrack and staged a protest. A police team arrived and used mild force to send the inmates inside their barracks, the official added.
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