ALUVA: Four undertrial prisoners in a drug case assaulted an Assistant Prison Officer inside Aluva Sub-Jail, injuring him with broken glass shards. The injured officer, K.G. Sarin (38) from Cherai, was admitted to Aluva District Hospital. The inmates also vandalized the glass windows of the Jail Superintendent’s office.

The Aluva Police have registered a case against South Vazhakulam native Afsal Pareeth (28), Kannur Kolacheri native Munis Mustafa (29), Alappuzha Punnapra native Charles Dennis (27) and Edathala native Muhammed Ansar (29) in connection with the incident. Following the incident, Afsal Pareeth and Munis Mustafa were transferred to Viyyur High-Security Prison as per the directive of the Jail DGP. A decision on transferring the other two inmates is expected today.

The attack took place around 12:30 PM yesterday. Afsal Pareeth, who had stepped out of his cell for lunch, started conversing with inmates from other cells, which prison officials attempted to stop. He allegedly protested loudly, saying, "You don’t need to teach me jail rules." When officials tried to escort him to the Superintendent’s office, three other inmates attempted to intervene.

As prison authorities used force to take him to the Superintendent's office, the accused smashed the front door’s glass, and when officers tried to restrain them, they attacked with the broken glass, injuring Sarin. The officer was also pushed to the ground, assaulted, and threatened. Jail officials later reported the incident to the Paravur Sessions Court.

The four inmates were arrested in a 2022 drug case registered by Angamaly Police. At the time of their arrest, a minor was also with them. They were caught with 350 grams of MDMA, and since then, they have been denied bail. Initially lodged in different jails, they were transferred to Aluva Sub-Jail recently after their trial began. The minor, who was initially in a juvenile home, has since turned 18 and is now housed in the same jail. However, he was not involved in yesterday’s incident.