VASCO: Gangster Vinayak Karbotkar was killed, eleven other prisoners, besides a jailor and two guards injured in the jailbreak attempt by Sada Sub Jail inmates on Tuesday night. At the time of the incident 49 inmates and 12 jail officials, including guards, were present in the jail premises.
Sources said that Karbotkar had been shifted to Sada jail from Colvale central jail after he had murdered fellow inmate Ashpak Bengre there in July 2016.
On Tuesday morning jail authorities took Karbotkar to Mapusa for a court hearing. On a request of jail authorities, the court passed an order to produce Karbotkar before the district and session Judge at Oras in Kudal, Maharashtra and to obtain an order to lodge him in the jail at Oras. However, the judge did not admit him to the Oras jail and sent him back to Sada and at about 10.35 pm Karbotkar was brought back.
“On entering the Sada jail premises Karbotkar started misbehaving with officers and demanding that Cell number 13, where his fellow inmates were lodged, be opened. As jail officials refused, he started instigating inmates of the cell to break open the cell gate. As per his instructions, the inmates managed to break open the cell gate and come out. They then went on a rampage using tools and steel rods. They damaged jail property including lights, computers, screening machine, furniture, kitchen items, and the surveillance system. They also damaged office records, broke the window grill and window located near the security check gate and came out but could not escape from the jail as the main gate was locked. The inmates thereafter damaged vehicles,” a jail official said.
He added, “Later the inmates from Cell 13, along with Karbotkar, opened Cell 15 where there was a clash. They also assaulted jail staff and used sharp weapons to attack jailor Vithal Gawas who sustained serious injuries.”
According to jail authorities, during the clash they used tools available in the jail premises and assaulted each other. Karbotkar later succumbed to the injuries sustained during the clash and another inmate Paul Chima and few others sustained serious injuries.
Police teams, along with security agencies present for poll duty in Mormugao, were summoned and the jail area cordoned off. Later after senior jail and police officials arrived, the security agencies overpowered the 49 inmates during which 14 prisoners were injured.
The prisoners were kept in a couple of cells which were not destroyed by the inmates. The injured were taken to Cottage Hospital at Chicalim and a few were shifted to GMC Bambolim. Korbatkar was declared brought dead by doctors at Chicalim.
Jail authorities also said that of 48 inmates (excluding Korbatkar who died) 14 were admitted at different hospitals including Cottage hospital and GMC Bambolim where they were undergoing treatment. Injured jailor Gawas, and other two jail guards, are safe and out of danger and are undergoing treatment at the government hospital.
Additional Inspector General of Prisons Siddhivinayak Naik said, “Extensive damage has been done by the inmates at Sada sub jail which will undergo major repairs. It was supposed to be vacated on January 25 and prisoners were to be shifted to Colvale jail. Assessment to calculate the damage is in process. They have also destroyed the kitchen area and we have been facing difficulty in providing them food.”
On Wednesday evening, 41 inmates were shifted to Colvale jail, while the injured inmates are undergoing treatment at government hospitals.
Following directions from Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, jail authorities have begun a probe into the incident. A judicial inquiry has been initiated.
