Poudel, who has been accused of killing CPN-UML affiliated Youth Force cadre Sanjaya Lama, was attacked at around 6:30 in the morning even before he woke up. Poudel was kept in Block C along with 14 others. Other four inmates from his block, including Hari Gurung, Badri Dhungana, Pradip Bhatta and Gopi Pariyar have also been injured.[break]
There are four blocks in the male section of Bharatpur Jail for around 200 inmates with 120 alone in Block A. Prison administration and Chitwan Police refuted claims that outsiders barged into the prison with weapons and attacked the inmates and claimed that inmates from Block A rushed into Block C even as the doors were being opened and attacked Poudel and others.
Prison officials said inmates from Block A rushed to a prison assistant and head constable immediately after they opened their gate and snatched away the keys of other blocks. “They then opened Block C gate and attacked Poudel,” Assistant Chief District Officer Nanda Kishore Tripathi said quoting prison officials.
“We were sleeping when they suddenly rushed in and started to attack Poudel. They hit me on the head and all over the body when I tried to intervene,” Bhatta said. Prison sources said the assailants started to beat others after working Poudel over.
Poudel´s friends at Block B remained locked and were mere spectators. “The friends at Block B were crying for their door to be opened but nobody opened it as the police didn´t intervene and looked on as spectators,” Bhatta, who is serving sentence for attacking lawyer Kamal Pathak, claimed. Poudel´s supporters inside the jail later chased away the police after their blocks were opened.
Prison sources said assailants even used handle of the hand-pump used by inmates for water. Jailer Chuda Mani Gautam said ladles, frying pans and other kitchen utensils were also used in the attack. “Inmates were involved in the attack and not outsiders. We cannot give details as investigation is still on,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Khinu Prasad Acharya said.
Twenty police personnel under the command of Sub Inspector Shiva Raj Chhetri have been deployed for prison security but Chhetri had gone to his home at Geetanagar for the night.
NC leader Sitaula blames administration
NC General Secretary Krishna Sitaula, who was in Chitwan to resolve the intra-party dispute, following the attack on Poudel, blamed police for poor security inside the prison. “The attack in a place like prison shows the inefficiency of the police,” Sitaula fumed and accused the police of complicity in the attack.
Sitaula called Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and warned that the government may come under threat if security in the district was not handled properly. SP Acharya argued that police could not intervene immediately as leaders among the inmates themselves are responsible for security inside the cells.
“Police fired three blank shots and took the situation under control within 20 minutes but Poudel had already been attacked and there was no option other than to take him to the hospital,” SP Acharya said.
Sitaula himself made arrangements for bringing senior neurosurgeon Dr Upendra Devkota to Chitwan for Poudel´s surgery at Bharatpur Medical College. Doctors said blood has accumulated in Poudel´s head.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress cadres pelted stones at the prison after the incident while Bharatpur Medical College also remained tense affecting treatment of other patients.
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