DPO submits CCTV footage, report to Judge

Tribune News Service

Ambala, April 16

The District Programme Officer, Ambala, has submitted CCTV footage and a report to District and Sessions Judge Vikram Aggarwal regarding the incident that took place inside the observation home on April 12.

DPO Baljeet Kaur said, “The CCTV footage of the observation home was obtained last night and submitted to District and Sessions Judge Vikram Aggarwal today. Along with the footage, a report has also been submitted. Except the judge, nobody else will be provided the footage. Maintaining security at the observation home is the duty of the staff deployed by the Prisons Department, but it has been found that the situation was not timely handled by the warders there.”

“When an inmate had damaged the first television set, a warder was present there and if he had timely called the other warders who were on duty, the situation could have been handled easily. The matter has been brought into the knowledge of the Deputy Commissioner. The DVR has been sealed and further action will be taken as per the direction of the higher authorities,” she added.

The DPO said, “There were five warders on duty that night. Laxity on the part of the Prisons Department has been seen and it has also been observed that the warders had instigated the inmates. Instead of controlling the inmates, a warder was enjoying the situation. We have sought immediate action against the guilty warders. The inmates have damaged goods worth Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. The police were called in to control the situation. No inmate was beaten up by the police.”

Some inmates had created ruckus over a television set on Friday. While the inmates had reportedly stated that they were beaten up by the police, the Ambala police had refuted it.

According to sources, the child welfare committee (CWC) Ambala, has raised this issue through letters with the National Human Rights Commission, NCPCR, and minister of the department concerned today.

As per information, the committee in the letter has reportedly stated that it hasn’t been provided the CCTV footage and is being asked not to visit the observation home. It has sought directions from the higher authorities.

Police refute

• Some inmates at the observation home had created ruckus over a television set on Friday. While the inmates had reportedly stated that they were beaten up by the police, the Ambala police had refuted it