Prisoners go on the rampage at Central Jail Gilgit while protesting against lack of health facilities

PT Report

Gilgit, December 5: Prisoners at the Central Jail in Gilgit went on the rampage after the condition of one of their fellow inmates deteriorated due to the unavailability of a doctor at the prison. The prisoners started protesting against the jail administration, demanding transfer of the prisoner, Adil, to a hospital.

Not seeing much response from the Jail admin, the prisoners came out of their cells and clashed with the the guards. They damaged the jail fixtures and put them on fire.

The Jail administration, unable to control the inmates, called for help from the relevant authorities. Around 200 policemen were sent to the prison to quell the situation in a short span of time. However, the tension intensified when inmates took Assistant Commissioner (AC) Rehman as hostage, after alleged misbehaviour by one of his guards.

DIG Amjad, Deputy Commissioner Asad Zamin and Superintentdent of Police (SP), among other officials, reached the jail to negotiate with the prisoners for freeing the commissioner who had been taken as hostage by the prisoners. According to insiders, the prisoners were represented by Akhtar, Shamsuddin, Karimudin Mukhi, Shakil, Baba Jan, Arifuddin, Ahmed and Sadiq, among others.

The dialogues, however, failed and the police had to take help of the elders of Kashrote locality, who negotiated the freedom of AC Rehman from the enraged inmates.

The government officials agreed to the demands of the inmates, promising that a doctor will be provided to look after their health.

The inmates have warned that if their demand wasn’t met, they will go on a hunger-strike for an indefinite period.