At least 20 jail guards and policemen and 30 prisoners were injured as the result of clashes between two rival groups of prisoners and also between prisoners and guards at Jacobabad District Jail on Friday. The condition of five prisoners is critical and they are being treated at Civil Hospital Jacobabad, according to jail authorities.
Reports said members of the Maula Bux Buledi group of prisoners snatched the belongings of the rival Piyaro Jakhrani group on Thursday night, but the police failed to take any steps to deal with the incident. Jail superintendent Ashiq Bozdar told journalists that there had been considerable tension between the two groups for some time. When the prisoners were brought out of their cells on Friday, members of the Jakhrani group climbed to the roof of the building to protest. Police asked the prisoners to surrender, but they responded by hurling stones and bricks at policemen, injuring around 20 of them. A large police contingent was summoned to control the situation. They did so using tear gas and aerial firing. About 30 prisoners were injured, including Buledi and Jakhrani (the leaders of the two groups), in a baton charge by the police. Bozdar said the situation was now under control. According to reports, the prisoners were denied first aid, but the injured policemen were transferred to Jacobabad Civil Hospital. Bozdar said that an enquiry into the incident had been ordered. He said cases had been registered against 25 prisoners.
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