A major security breach and violent uprising at the Central Jail on Tajpur Road in Ludhiana has led to a sweeping criminal investigation, with 24 inmates formally charged for attempted murder and rioting. The meticulously planned insurrection left the jail superintendent unconscious with a severe head injury and several law enforcement personnel wounded, exposing deep flaws in prison security now under a dual probe.
A Medical Ruse That Sparked Chaos
The violence erupted around 5:30 PM on Tuesday, but investigators believe the plan was long in the making. The riot began under the deceptive guise of a medical plea. Inmates Sunil Kumar, also known as Nata, and Bikramjit Singh exited their barracks claiming to need treatment. Instead, they instigated a physical altercation with another prisoner, Vicky Pandit.
After wardens intervened to separate them, the situation rapidly escalated. The inmates began roaring anti-administration slogans and then activated the prison's internal security siren, a move calculated to sow maximum confusion. As the alarm blared, dozens of inmates forcefully broke open their barrack locks and flooded the central courtyard.
The attackers were armed with "pre-possessed" iron rods, sharp weapons, and bricks they tore from the facility's garden beds. Using these improvised arms, they ambushed the jail staff and police responders who rushed to the scene in a murderous assault.
High-Profile Targets and Injuries
The convicts specifically targeted senior jail officials during the brutal attack. The most seriously injured was Jail Superintendent Kulwant Singh Sidhu, who was struck by a hurled brick, sustaining a critical head injury that caused him to collapse on the spot. He was hospitalized and remains in a serious but stable condition.
The list of other injured personnel includes:
- DSP (Security) Jagjeet Singh
- Moti Nagar SHO Sub-Inspector Bhupinder Singh
- Two CRPF personnel: B Venketeshwar and Bhupinder Singh
- Warder Parminder Singh
- Assistant Superintendent Vijay Kumar
Legal Repercussions and Heightened Security
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma confirmed the arrest and charging of all 24 accused inmates. The charges have been filed under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prisons Act at the Division Number 7 police station. "No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands, whether outside or inside the jail," Commissioner Sharma stated firmly.
The inmates face serious charges including:
- BNS Section 109 (Attempt to Murder)
- BNS Section 191(3) (Armed Riot)
- BNS Section 121 (Voluntarily Causing Hurt to Deter a Public Servant)
- Section 52-A (1) of the Prisons Act, pertaining to offences against prison discipline, which can carry a sentence of up to seven years.
In the aftermath, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Arunpal Singh visited the jail on Wednesday evening to assess the situation and oversee reinforced security measures. A heavy police contingent continues to guard the facility. The core question of how inmates managed to possess iron rods and coordinate such a large-scale attack is now the subject of parallel investigations by both the Police Department and the Prisons Department.
