Demanding release, Puzhal central jail inmates threaten to kill themselves using broken tube light

CHENNAI: Commotion ensued at Puzhal Central Prison on Thursday night after a group of prisoners broke the tubelights in their cells and harmed themselves using the broken parts.

Police have booked eight prisoners - Napoleon (30), Murali (27), Sharath Babu (30), Syed Basha (28), Rajasekar (25), Arun (25), Ravichandran (30), and Jayakumar (25) over the matter.

Around 9 pm, the prisoners who were in cell numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 broke the tubelights in their cells and raised slogans against the prison officials. They demanded their release, claiming that they were innocent and should be released.

Prison authorities rushed to the cells and pacified the prisoners but two prisoners Rajasekar and Napoleon then started harming themselves using the broken tubelights. Police said that when the prison staff tried to stop them, the prisoners threatened to attack them.

Subsequently, other prison staff rushed to the scene and overpowered the prisoners and brought the situation under control. The injured prisoners were shifted to the prison hospital and the others were shifted to other cells.

Puzhal police have registered a case under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty) and section 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) against them and are investigating the matter.