Authorities have sought a police outpost outside the Howrah jail gate

Employees of Howrah jail stoked the riot by inmates on Friday, home secretary Ardhendu Sen said on Sunday after visiting the facility.

“A preliminary investigation indicates that some employees of the jail were involved in the violence. I have asked the inspector-general (prison) to conduct a probe,” stated Sen.

He supervised the transfer of Rahul Mullick and Suraj Mullick, the undertrials who allegedly started the riot, to Presidency jail and Alipore Central jail, respectively, on Sunday.

The home secretary was accompanied by inspector-general (prison) B.D. Sharma and Howrah police superintendent Niraj Kumar Singh. The Mullicks did not put up resistance during shifting, said Sharma.

Rahul and Suraj had instigated nearly a hundred inmates on Friday as they were being shifted out of the jail following an order by the inspector-general. The inmates set fire to the jail superintendent’s office, burnt down important documents, damaged furniture, pelted stones at guards and broke two gates in a bid to escape.

The authorities have requested the police to set up an outpost outside the jail. Sen added: “Release of some of the prisoners was hampered as important documents were destroyed on Friday. We released six prisoners yesterday and 22 prisoners today.”