HC judge to probe jail riot

CHENNAI, Nov 18 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi today ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the rioting and police firing in the central prison here yesterday which left nine prisoners and one jail official dead.

Replying to a 250-minute debate on adjournment motions, notices for which were given by Leader of the Opposition S. Balakrishnan and others, he said the government would give a compensation of Rs 8 lakh to next of kin of Deputy Jailer Jayakumar, who was burnt alive on the jail premises by the rioters, and a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the families of the prisoners who died in police firing.

Mr Jayakumar would be awarded the Chief Minister’s Medal for Gallantry and his name had been recommended for the President’s Medal, he added.

Mr Karunanidhi joined other members of the House in condemning the incidents in the jail and expressed grief over the loss of lives.

Mr Balakrishnan led his party in staging a walkout protesting against the government's failure to own responsibility for the incidents and Law Minister Aladi Aruna’s refusal to resign. Members of the AIADMK followed suit.

Mr Aruna said the situation would have resulted in more casualties and even a jail break had the police not opened fire. The government would put down violence with a heavy hand, he said, and rejected the demand for his resignation made by Mr Balakrishanan and others.

AIADMK group leader P. R. Sundaram demanded the resignation of both Mr Karunanidhi and Mr Aruna and wanted a post-mortem of the bodies of the victims by doctors from outside the state as he did not have faith in the government, although he respected the integrity of the doctors in the state.

Members demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents, which was readily conceded by the Chief Minister. However, the Chief Minister declined permission for the adjournment of other business’ to discuss the issue.

The discussion in the House on the jail incidents predictably reflected on the new political equations. Bharatiya Janata Party legislator C. Velayudham lent strong support to the government and opined that Vadivelu could have died of dysentery.

While All-India Forward Block and Tamil Nadu Muslim League members also supported the government’s stand, CPI member Subbarayan said the incidents reflected the decay of the Jails Department and the prisoners had only expressed their pent-up feelings by rioting, using Vadivelu’s death as a cover.

Meanwhile, normalcy returned to the central prison here, even as the women relatives of the inmates thronged the prison gates demanding to know about their well-being.

Nine prisoners and a jail official were killed and 128 others injured in rioting and arson and subsequent police firing in the high security jail following the death of a detainee "Boxer" alias Vadivelu, after being admitted to Government General Hospital on Tuesday night. Deputy jailer Jayakumar was burnt to death.

Tension prevailed for some time near the prison even as the women relatives demanded that they be permitted to go in and ascertain that their relatives were safe. Police personnel, however, permitted only a few.

Some of them later squatted on the road before Chennai Central Station causing a traffic snarl.

However, the police prevailed on them to disperse and restored normalcy.

The body of the deceased deputy jailer was handed over to his relatives at Government Kilpauk Medical Hospital.

A report from Delhi said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government asking it to report within 24 hours the details about the incident which had taken place in the central prison, leading to the death of several people yesterday.

Taking cognisance of a complaint received from Dr Henri Tiphagne, director of the Peoples Watch, Tamil Nadu, yesterday, the NHRC immediately sent a notice to the Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government asking for a detailed report. It was expected by this evening, NHRC sources said today.

Nine prisoners and a jail official were killed and 128 others injured in rioting and arson and subsequent police firing in the high-security jail. The condition of three of the 70 prisoners admitted to General Hospital was critical. Of the injured, 20 were police and jail personnel while the remaining 108 were detainees.

The complainant had sought immediate intervention of the NHRC as otherwise crucial evidence would be lost. He urged the NHRC to ensure an independent post mortem of the bodies under the supervision of its representative and, if possible, the presence of one of the special rapporteurs during the postmortem.

Mr Tiphagne also pleaded that compulsory videography of the postmortem should be done and copies of the postmortem reports and videotapes made available to the human rights NGO to initiate further action, if necessary.