FAISALABAD, Feb 7 The district police and jail staff launched a search operation in the Central Jail in wee hours on Sunday and shifted more than 150 prisoners, allegedly involved in the Jan 30 riots, to different jails across the province.

During the seven-hour operation that began at around 4am, the officials examined barracks one by one and did not allow anyone to come outside in a bid to avoid possible wrath of the prisoners. Reports of torture on prisoners were also received, however, the jail officials denied such reports, saying nobody was mistreated.

A large number of prisoners had on Saturday last set ablaze the paraphernalia of the prison, razed its walls and resorted to sloganeering from rooftops of barracks against the officials in protest against search operation launched by the newly-appointed superintendent Tariq Babar. The prisoners protested the tightening of the security and launching of a massive operation in all barracks by the new superintendent. About four dozen prisoners had sustained injuries during the ensuing riots. The Lahore High Court chief justice took suo moto notice of the incident and its next hearing is fixed for Feb 16.

Sources said the jail officials remained cool for one week to take action against the miscreants, largely those who had been convicted to death by different courts. They informed the Punjab government that most of the troublemakers were involved in different kinds of criminal activities and were operating their 'businesses' from the jail. They said that cell phones were the prisoners' main tool to carry out their activities.

The Punjab government gave permission for the operation and directed the district police to assist the jail staff.

Operations SSP Sarfraz Falki led 2,000 or so policemen, including town police officers, deputy superintendents of police, inspectors and Elite Force personnel, who took part in the operation. The city police office supervised overall arrangements of the operation.

Station house officers of all police stations except those manning rural areas were directed to reach the Police Lines along with their personnel instead of directly moving to the Central Jail.

As many as 2,700 prisoners are detained in the jail. Over two dozen prison vans were arranged to shift the prisoners to different jails of the province.

The city police officer had also requisitioned armed personnel carriers from Lahore and Multan. Additional force to contain possible riots was also requisitioned from Lahore.

The Rescue-1122 service was engaged in the operation and its staff and ambulances remained alert outside the jail to meet any eventuality.

Sources said that during the operation, cell phone, drugs and sharp-edged weapons were seized from different barracks.

Deputy Superintendent of Jail Abdul Razzaq Niazi got a case registered with the Sadar police against 29 prisoners.

Talking to Dawn, Prisons DIG Malik Mubashir said that about 150 prisoners who allegedly torched the jail factory, razed its walls and damaged other belongings were shifted to other jails of the Punjab.

He said the Punjab government had ordered launching the operation as the prisoners had been collecting extortion through their accomplices outside the jail. They used cell phones for this purpose, he added. He said the operation was successful and no prisoner was mistreated.