Four inmates of Shivamogga district prison allegedly attempted to end their lives by consuming phenyl on January 30 night.
Zameer Bacha, his associates Nasir, Imran and Shoaib allegedly consumed phenyl and then complained of pain and suffocation, forcing jail authorities to arrange for their treatment. They were taken to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga. While Bacha, who had no complications, was sent back to the prison, the three others are undergoing treatment.
Raid
Bacha alias Bachan is an accused in several cases of dacoity and extortion. He was out on bail in 2021, but was arrested by Shivamogga police in November 2021 in connection with some alleged crimes.
Shivamogga CEN Police raided his cell in the prison on January 26 night after a complaint was registered at Tunga police station in Shivamogga alleging that he had called up a businessman over the phone from prison and demanded money. The police seized a phone from him. During the raid, Bacha allegedly injured himself with a sharp object that he obtained by breaking a tubelight in his cell.
Suspended
Bacha was taken to McGann Hospital for treatment of the injury on January 27. While returning to the prison after the treatment, while in the custody of the police, he allegedly threatened a salesman who works for the businessmen, who he had threatened earlier, near a shop at Urugadur in Shivamogga. The businessman complained to the police about this incident.
This led to the suspension of three District Armed Reserve policemen, who were escorting Bacha to prison. Shivamogga Superintendent of Police B.M. Laxmi Prasad suspended ARSI Manjunath and constables Manjunath and Beeresh, and initiated a departmental inquiry against the driver of the vehicle.
Supervision
Speaking to reporters on January 31, Mr. Laxmi Prasad said Bacha was sent back to the prison on January 30 night as he had no serious health complications, while three other had been undergoing treatment. “All are out of danger,” he said.
Bacha had been involved in several crimes, in different districts. “He has been booked under the Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act. We have instructed jail authorities to supervise him separately to avoid untoward incidents,” he said.
Regarding the suspension of officials, the SP said the three personnel had been suspended as the accused had threatened a shopkeeper in their presence. “In the preliminary inquiry, the policemen said the vehicle was slowed down as there was a barricade on the road. Bacha created a scene at that place complaining of stomach pain. However, they were suspended as they could have avoided the threat to the salesman,” the SP said.
