‘Metal bar broken from window, turned into weapon’: Inmate killed at Delhi prison

Rohini Central Jail in Northwest Delhi, where a 31-year-old inmate was allegedly stabbed to death by two fellow prisoners.(AI generated image)

In yet another reminder of gang wars inside the prisons in the Capital, a 31-year-old inmate lodged in robbery and Arms Act cases at Rohini Central Jail in Northwest Delhi was stabbed to death allegedly by two other inmates on Monday afternoon, said police. The incident happened when he was returning to his barrack after meeting his family members, officers added.

Identified as Pradeep alias Mohinder, a resident of West Delhi’s Naraina, the inmate was allegedly facing 14 cases, including murder, attempt to murder and robbery. He had been lodged in the jail since 2024. The accused have been identified as Harish and Karan.
The Rohini jail is an extension of Tihar Jail and is designated as Jail Number 10.  A similar incident happened in 2023 when jailed gangster Tillu Tajpuria was stabbed in Tihar Jail.

Even as the sanctioned capacity of the Rohini prison is around 600; it has more than 1,500 inmates currently lodged there, sources said. The jail is primarily meant for repeat offenders involved in heinous cases, they added.

‘Metal bar improvised as a weapon’

The incident took place around noon when Pradeep was returning to his barrack after meeting his family members in the jail’s “mulakat ghar” or meeting house. While he was walking towards Barrack Number 203, two other inmates, identified as Harish Koyal and Karan alias Manish, both in their late 20s, allegedly attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon.

According to sources, the accused were carrying an aluminium bar — removed from a jail window — that they had sharpened and turned into an improvised weapon.

The accused allegedly stabbed Pradeep and slit his neck, leaving him critically injured, according to officers.

Jail warders and other security personnel, including personnel from the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP), immediately reached the spot and overpowered both the accused. The weapon was also recovered from them. Officers said the injured inmate was given first aid and rushed to BR Ambedkar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

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Motive being ascertained

According to sources, Harish and Karan had an argument with Pradeep inside a jail van while they were returning from a court hearing about a week ago. The two sides allegedly abused each other, following which tensions escalated. But the officers deployed in the van and other inmates pacified them.

Officers believe that the argument could have led to this violent attack on Pradeep.

Police said Harish was facing a murder case, while Karan was facing around 13 cases of robbery and snatching. Harish had been lodged in the jail for more than a year, while Karan had been there for the past few months.

Police said the medico-legal case (MLC) report has been collected and CCTV footage from the jail is being examined.

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A murder case has been registered at the Samaypur Badli police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events and the motive behind the killing.

Police also suspect that the attack could have been linked to a fight over dominance. Investigators are also examining whether there was a dispute over the supply of banned substances inside the prison, sources said.

Red flags raised in past

Fights over dominance among inmates are not new. In 2015, jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana and his associates allegedly killed two members of a rival gang, led by Neetu Dabodia, inside a jail van while they were being taken to court.

Following the incident, the jail administration began conducting stricter checks to ensure that members of rival gangs were not placed in the same barrack or transported in the same van while being taken to court.

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According to officials in the Rohini jail, the administration keeps a close watch on the movement of inmates in and out of the prison. Items such as utensils and iron buckets are not provided to inmates as they could potentially be used to make improvised weapons. Such items were restricted almost a decade ago following a series of murders and attacks involving improvised weapons.