2 Warders Suspended For Group Clash In Bhubaneswar’s Jharpada Jail

Bhubaneswar: Two jail staffers have been suspended in connection with the alleged clash between two groups of inmates in Jharpada Special Jail in Odisha capital on March 17 when an undertrial prisoner was injured.

Chief Warder Manguli Sethi and Warder Prabhat Kumar Maharana have been places under suspension on an administrative ground and for dereliction of duty, official sources said.

The brawl, which erupted over alleged illegal narcotics trade inside the cell, saw an inmate named Chakara Barik and his associates assaulting Sambhunath Barik, who sustained minor injuries. While Chakara, arrested after an encounter by the police in Khandagiri area here on May 12, 2022, is facing trial in at least 20 cases of theft, robbery and assault. Sambhunath is in the jail in connection with a theft case.

Warder Maharana, who was on a duty at high-security cell, is accused of showing favour to Chakara. Sethi, on the other hand, was on night duty and in-charge of checking the narcotics inside the jail.