Massive raid on Bolangir jail after ‘gang war’, contraband items and trimmer seized

Police on Friday conducted a surprise raid on Bolangir jail which was in the news following a clash between two criminal groups recently. Two platoons of police force, nine officers led by SP Rishikesh Khilari conducted the inspection in the wee hours today on Bolangir jail.

Senior officials informed that several contraband items including bidis, cigarettes, lighter, trimmer and some food items, which are restricted as per the jail manual, have been seized. Sources said that the trimmer was issued to the salon inside the jail and concerns are now being expressed on how it reached one of the cells.

“12 wards were searched along with other places. Several contraband- khaini, bidi, lighter, cigarette, some food items outside jail manual have been seized. All such items are prohibited and the jailor will also submit a report. A trimmer has also been seized,” said Khilari.

Earlier, a report was aired by OTV how gang war occurred inside the jail on Friday in which a criminal Babulu Mahanad was attacked by a rival group. Regarding the clash, the SP said that they have asked the jail authorities to keep the group members in separate cells and take action.

Jail Superintendent Sarbeswar Sahu said, “The inmates while being transported to jail might have been able to accumulate such narcotics. It appears that such items were thrown from outside. There is a salon inside and how the trimmer reached the cell will be probed.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Bolangir jail has a capacity for 392 inmates, but it is overcrowded as 456 inmates including some criminals from outside are lodged here.

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