Gopalganj, Sept. 6: A heated exchange between two prisoners this morning over who had tipped the jail authorities about the liquor supply into cells snowballed into a clash between inmates belonging to two groups. Sixteen prisoners and four constables sustained injuries in the scuffle.

The clash between the groups led by Satish Pandey and Munna Mishra, both charged with serious cases, started around 7.15am. The inmates used branches of trees and sticks to thrash each other.

District magistrate (DM) Pankaj Kumar and superintendent of police (SP) K.S. Anupam rushed to the jail with force receiving the news about the clash. They camped there for four hours.

The SP and the DM left the jail premises only after the situation came under control. A magistrate with force has been deputed at the jail.

Anupam told The Telegraph that 16 jail inmates sustained injuries in the brawl. When the jail superintendent tried to pacify the prisoners, four constables also sustained injuries. The SP said the inmates broke the branches of trees and used them as weapons. They also used lathis.

Sources said the group of Munna was upset after the jail authorities learnt about the supply of liquor to the prisoners. Acting on a tip-off, a warden was caught yesterday while he was going to serve liquor to the prisoners.

Jailor Sanjay Kumar had said an FIR would be lodged against the warden and a probe would be conducted.

Enraged over the development, a member of Munna’s gang asked a follower of Satish who had tipped off the jail authorities about the liquor supply to inmates. The query led to a heated exchange and snowballed into a scuffle.