Inmates hold a feast inside jail, video goes viral

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It appears that the prisoners were partying in their cell. The inmates can be seen holding a packet of paneer. Prisoners don’t have access to anything that can be used to prepare a meal.

A PRISON OFFICIAL

NEW DELHI: A video clip of an inmate lodged in Tihar jail’s Mandoli campus, which shows the man recording a video on his mobile phone while cooking inside the prison cell has gone viral on social media.

Prison authorities have ordered a probe into the incident as possession of mobile phones is prohibited inside the jail premises. The video shows a man, supposedly gangster Saleem Rustam, recording a video while giving a tour of his cell.

A prison officer, who did not wish to be named, said Rustom, a Lucknow resident, is an alleged gangster and the leader of Saleem Rustam Sohrab gang of western Uttar Pradesh. HT could not verify the identity of the prisoner independently, however, prison officials confirmed the video was recorded inside the recentlyopened Mandoli jail.

Four other inmates are also seen posing for the camera in the video. The video also shows the man preparing tea using an induction cooktop inside his cell. Induction cooktop or any form of a stove is prohibited inside jail.

A jail spokesperson said, “We will take strict action. The inquiry will be conducted by a DIG (deputy inspector general) rank officer.” The video also has the man showing the prison corridor, adjacent cells where other inmates are lodged, a bathroom and the small makeshift kitchen with the induction cooktop and other food items.

“It appears that the prisoners were partying in their cell. The prisoner can be seen holding a packet containing paneer. Every prisoner gets tea from the canteen more than three times a day. Prisoners do not have access to anything that can be used to set up a kitchen or prepare a meal for themselves. The probe will focus on how the induction cooktop was smuggled inside,” said the prison official.