Anant Singh is serving a 10-year sentence in connection with a 2015 case (File)
At least four inmates and as many prison officials were injured in a fight inside Patna's Beur Central Jail on Sunday. The fight broke out during a prisoners' protest led by convicted former Bihar MLA Anant Singh over their ward being allegedly "deliberately" kept open on Saturday night.
The former MLA from Bihar's Mokama claimed that a conspiracy is in play to murder him inside the jail.
Patna's District Magistrate (DM), Chandrashekhar Singh, ordered a probe into the matter and suspended a prison official after the incident.
The local police also lodged an FIR against some inmates for creating a ruckus inside the jail, Mr Singh said.
"The incident took place around 7.30 am on Sunday when around 40 inmates led by Anant Singh began protesting inside the jail, claiming their ward was deliberately kept open the previous night," he added.
"Prison authorities tried to placate the protesting inmates but when they did not budge, additional forces were sent in. The situation was brought under control and most of the protesting inmates were sent back to their cells. Anant Singh and 10 other inmates continued the stir, following which a fight broke out with the jail officials and mild force was used. Some inmates were shifted to other cells," he added.
All the injured inmates and jail officials are out of danger, he said.
It is, however, not clear whether Anant Singh was also injured.
"I have ordered an inquiry into the incident and sought a report within 24 hours. A prison official has also been suspended," he said.
The local police lodged an FIR against some inmates for creating a ruckus inside the jail, the DM said.
A statement by the district administration said that Anant Singh claimed a conspiracy is being hatched to kill him in jail.
Anant Singh has been languishing in the Beur Central Prison after an MP-MLA Court in Patna sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment last year in connection with a case dating back to 2015, when the police recovered several incriminating materials, including six rifle magazines, from his official residence.
His wife Neelam Devi is currently the RJD MLA from Mokama.