Two employees of the District Prison at Kerimattihalli on the outskirts of Haveri are said to have fought with each other and consequently, filed police complaints against each other.
The incident reportedly happened on Monday night and came to light after both lodged their complaints with the Haveri Rural Police Station.
Jail Superintendent Thimmanna Bhajantri has accused jail watcher Pundalik Phakirappa Pawar of assaulting him and insulting him by his caste when he questioned him (Pundalik Pawar) for consuming food meant for the jail inmates.
Mr. Bhajantri has in his complaint said that Punadlik Pawar was consuming food at a place other than his designated one for work and he questioned him as there was shortage of food for the inmates. He has also said that Pundalik Pawar assaulted him at the behest of M. Marigouda who is serving at Central Prison in Dharwad.
However, Pundalik Pawar has stated a different version in his complaint. He has said that Mr. Bhajantri called him to his office and rebuked him using abusive language accusing him of making false allegations against him before senior officials and the Dharwad Jail Superintendent. Mr. Bhajantri has also issued a life threat to him, along with a undertrial, Pundalik Pawar has said in the complaint.
Both Mr. Bhajantri and Pundalik Pawar received treatment as outpatients at the District Hospital in Haveri. Haveri Rural Police have registered a case.
Following a direction from the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, Jail Superintendent of Shivamogga P. Ranganath visited the District Prison on Tuesday. He has said that he would soon submit report to senior officials on the incident. Following the incident, some of the prison staff staged a protest in front of the prison on Tuesday for a few minutes.
