For four policemen at the Puzhal Central Prison, Friday came to a violent close. Victims of a murderous attack by a few inmates of the prison, these four policemen – Ilavarasan (57), jailer, Muthumani, warden and Selvin Devadass and Ravi Mohan, constables – sustained injuries on their heads, legs and arms.
They were on duty inside Puzhal Central Prison, which is among India’s largest prison complexes, when a violent riot broke out, taking the law enforcers by surprise. The jail inmates responsible for the attack are “high security prisoners”.
“I was hit with a carom board,” said Ilavarasan from his hospital bed in a feeble voice.
The injuries were so severe that Muthumani had to be given 20 stitches.
He was shifted to a private hospital late in the night.
Sources in the city police, who were on duty at Stanley Medical College Hospital’s emergency ward – where the four men were first brought – said it seemed to be a well-planned attack.
According to police sources, there was tension both inside and outside the prison complex.
They added that this was the first time since 2006, when the complex was established, that a riot broke out there.