Jailbirds strike atop trees

TIRUCHY: It was just short of a riot at the Central Prison here when inmates began agitating atop trees in the jail premises on Tuesday, apparently upset by the frequent searches conducted by officials to check illegal use of mobile phones.A special team was formed to conduct periodical raids. On Tuesday, the special team including warders Manikandan, Chelladurai and others conducted a search at the Block I where the accused detained under Goondas Act are lodged. A group of inmates, including Madhan Kumar, Nizamudeen and Sundarapandi — all aides of the slain notorious Muttai Ravi — took a silver spoon sharpened like a knife and tried to stab the warders, who sustained mild injuries. Jailer Senthamarai Kannan conducted an inquiry. The inmates allegedly used abusive words against the staff and also tried to assault them. The Prison Striking Force was called in and Madhan Kumar allegedly sustained an injury in the action.The other inmates including convicts and remand prisoners joined the goondas and started a hunger strike. Meanwhile, a group of inmates including, Madhan Kumar, Nizamuddin, Sudakhar, Ramanujam, Sundarapandi, Kaliamurthy and Dhakshinamurthy climbed the trees inside the prison and started raising slogans against the prison officials.Only when the DIG (Prisons) Tiruchy (In-charge) Govindaraj along with the RDO K Sampath held talks with the inmates, they came down at 4.45 pm and ended their fast.