6 inmates killed in Jamalpur jail clash

Six inmates were killed in a clash between two groups of inmates in Jamalpur District Jail, authorities said on Friday, reports UNB.
Moreover, district jailer and seven prison guards were injured in the clash on Thursday afternoon.
The deceased were Arman, Raihan, Shyamal, Fazle Rabbi Babu, Jasim and Rahat-all residents of Jamalpur Sadar Upazila.
Abu Fattah, jailer of the district jail, said two groups of the inmates locked into clashes inside the jail on Thursday afternoon. Six of them died in the clashes.
The jailer, however, didn't elaborate how they died.
After bringing the situation under control, the inmates beat the jailer, held him captive and tried to escape from the jail, he said.
The inmates vandalised two buildings within the prison, the jailer's office, and one of the main gates. They also set fire to several parts of the facility, taking 14 prison guards hostage in the process, he said.
At one stage, the prison guards responded by firing warning shots to regain control of the situation, the jailer said.
In response to the crisis, Army, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police, and fire service personnel were deployed in the jail to restore order. The hostages were released later that night, and by 3am, prison authorities had regained full control of the facility, jailer Fattah said.
Four critically injured inmates and three prison guards were admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and Jamalpur General Hospital for treatment. The jailer confirmed that no prisoners managed to escape during the incident.
The jailer informed that the Public Works Department had already begun repair work on the damaged gates and other structures inside the prison.
Jamalpur District Jail currently houses 669 inmates, of whom 100 are convicted prisoners. Authorities have confirmed that there are no militants among the prison population.
In another development, gunfire took place during a clash between a section of prisoners and guards at Chattogram Central Jail on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
The prison guards fired rubber bullets and blank shots to control the situation when a section of prisoners staged demonstrations and tried to break open a room at the jail.
The clash broke out at 1:30pm. However, the prison authorities said that no prisoner could escape.
Manjur Hossain, superintendent of Chattogram Jail, said some inmates were trying to escape but failed.
A team of army men reached the spot and brought the situation under control, he added.
Eyewitnesses said that heavy gunfire was heard in the central jail area. Some people from outside also tried to break the main gate of the prison. However, the prison guards restrained them.
A tense situation was prevailing in the area due to the incident.