The shootout between two notorious Cheenu Pandit and Sunil Rathi gangs outside Roorkee jail resulting in three deaths has triggered a buck-passing game between the police and jail department officers over security arrangement inside and outside the jail campus.
Three persons — Varun Tyagi, lokendra and Raman — were killed and six others, including Monu, were injured in the shootout between the members of the notorious Cheenu Pandit and Sunil Rathi gangs outside the Roorkee jail on Tuesday evening.
Haridwar SP (Rural) Pramendra Dobhal claimed police have recovered mobile phone and coolers from inside the jail, while Roorkie sub-jail Jailer Rakesh Verma denied recovery of such items from the jail. Moreover, Uttarakhand Director General of Police BS Sidhu claimed PAC jawans had been deployed to strengthen the security inside the jail. However, PAC jawans were not visible at the public gate of the jail campus where shootout occurred, he said.
Police recovered mobile phone, coolers and other items which were supposedly used by the accused, he said-an insinuation directed at the jail authority, pinpointing its laxness in maintaining the norms inside the jail. The call details of the mobile phone revealed that notorious criminal Rathi had firmed up the strategy to bump off his rival Pandit inside the jail campus, Sidhu claimed. Haridwar district police had deployed additional forces at the site in the aftermath of the incident, he added. He further said they are on the lookout for the accused, now on the run.
Claiming that police have already completed the probe, the senior police official said three criminals who had fired discriminatory outside the jail campus and the owner of the vehicle used for this crime have been identified. Teams have been deployed to nab the accused, he stated. In order to strengthen the security inside and outside the jail campuses across the state, police department will soon draft a plan which will be sent to the State Government, he added.
However, striking a different note, IG (Jail) Vinod Sharma denied recovery of any mobile phones and other items from inside the jail campus. The incident of gang war had occurred outside the jail campus on the road, he said, adding that it falls within the jurisdiction of police to ensure security outside the jail premises. He further claimed that adequate security force has been put in place inside the jail premises. According to him, steps will be taken to strengthen the security inside and outside all the jails across the State.
Roorkee sub-jail Jailer Rakesh Verma said that this incident had occurred outside the jail gate around 5.30 pm -- a time when he was inside the premises, monitoring the security there. Two armed PAC jawans and one unarmed home guard were deployed at the public gate. Three persons began firing discriminatory from inside a car at the gate and escaped after a few minutes. Two PAC jawans did not fire on criminals fearing it would result in civilian casualty, he added.
Sources in the jail department said that notorious criminal Pandit had snatched a gun from a PAC jawan who was deployed at the gate and hidden himself with the arm in the jail campus.
Haridwar SSP Sadanand Date said that Cheenu Pandit alias Vineet Sharma had registered a complaint and a case was registered against Rajbala, Sunil Rathi, Sachin, Devpal, Sushil Gujjar, Arvind and Satish in the Gangnahar-Roorkie police station on Wednesday.