Punjab Inmate Lands In More Trouble Over Reel Alleging Harassment In Jail

A prisoner lodged in the Central Jail Hoshiarpur has been booked after jail authorities recovered a mobile phone from him during a search, officials said on Tuesday.

The action came following an inquiry into a purported video showing the prisoner levelling allegations against the jail administration.

Police said a case was registered Manna, a resident of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district, under relevant sections of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The case was registered on the complaint of jail Assistant Superintendent Jagwinder Kumar, police said.

The video, purportedly recorded inside the jail by Manna, was widely circulated on social media on June 14. In the video, he alleged harassment by jail staff, demand for money and questioned the alleged availability of narcotics inside the prison. He also levelled allegations of assault by some jail personnel.

After the video surfaced, Central Jail Hoshiarpur Superintendent Satnam Singh earlier said that an inquiry was initiated, and action would be taken based on the findings.

Police said, as per the complaint, a search was conducted in security zone-13, barrack number 5 of the jail.

During the search, a mobile phone without a SIM card was allegedly recovered from Mann.

Jail authorities alleged that he threatened to harm himself by using a silver wire, which was already in his possession, and levelled allegations against jail officials.

They also claimed that in the video, he had stated that he was in possession of narcotics.

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