RAWALPINDI: Two prisoners were injured in a clash between two groups of inmates at the Central Jail Adiala early on Saturday.

One of the injured suffered a cut in his left ear. The injured were shifted to the jail hospital while those involved in the clash were sent to the punishment cell and a criminal case was registered against them, a senior official of the prison said.

According to the jail authorities, Noman Mushtaq, who was arrested by the Kural police in a quarrel case on July 29, 2016, Zeeshan Mehmood alias Shani, a resident of Sadiqabad, arrested in a murder/robbery case on October 18, 2016, and Amir Shahzad, of Bhara Kahu, held in a brawl case on March 24, 2017, were languishing in Barrack 3 of the jail when they quarreled with another prisoner, Mohammad Umair Tawakal.

When security guard Jehangir Muzamil alerted the jail security staff and administration officials about the incident, they reached the spot, overpowered the prisoners and brought them out of the barrack.

The injured were identified as Noman Mushtaq and Mohammad Umair Tawakal. An ear of Mr Tawakal was bleeding as its upper part was chopped off with a self-made knife. Both the injured were shifted to the jail hospital where their condition was stated to be stable.

Later, a criminal case was registered against Amir Shahzad, Zeeshan Mehmood and Noman on the charges of attacking and injuring the other prisoners.

Mohammad Riaz, the incharge of Barrack 3, and two other jail officials - Mola Baksh and head warden Qasim Ali - were suspended and served with a show-cause notice.

When contacted, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Shahid Saleem Baig told Dawn that the clash started when the four inmates were joking with each other.

“Noman Mushtaq reportedly used an abusive language against Tawakal which led to the quarrel between them,” the DIG said.

He added that the jail officials, who were supposed to search the barrack, had been suspended and directed to report to the head office.

“Had they carried out a proper search of the barrack, the knife used by the prisoner would have been recovered,” he said.

In reply to a question, the DIG said the three prisoners involved in the clash had been shifted to the Attock jail while the injured were being treated in the hospital.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2017