Tihar inmate dies after attack by four

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 12

A 29-year-old undertrial prisoner was murdered allegedly by four other inmates at a high security ward of Tihar Prisons on Tuesday.

The victim, Deepak, had been imprisoned since 2008 for his alleged involvement in 14 cases, including attempt to murder and dacoity.

Deepak was attacked at jail number 8, allegedly by Satpal Bedi, Manpreet Singh, Suraj and Riaz. Satpal is a life convict while Riaz and Manpreet are involved in six murders. Manpreet is also accused of killing another inmate in the past. Suraj has six cases of robbery and dacoity. The police suspect that a gang war was the reason behind the murder.

"The assailants used improvised weapons carved from window materials. They have been regularly violating the prison norms and were involved in many cases of assault and criminal force inside the jail," said Tihar Prisons official.

The accused as per their disclosures to the authorities had attacked Deepak inside a cell at 10 pm. Deepak was rushed to the DDU Hospital in west Delhi, where he was declared dead. A case of murder has been registered at the Hari Nagar police station.

Satpal is infamous for extortion from fellow prisoners and was earlier lodged at Rohini Jail in outer Delhi.

According to sources, Satpal was shifted to Tihar Jail after he filed an application in court alleging torture by the jail superintendent, the ward in-charge and other inmates. He claimed it was done on the orders of a gangster, Romesh Sharma, who is also linked to extortion calls made on behalf of Dawood Ibrahim.