Serial bomb blast accused caught digging tunnels in Sabarmati jail

Sabarmati jail

By our correspondent, Ahmedabad, 11 February 2013

As many as 14(possibly) accused of serial bomb blasts lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail were digging 18 x 6 ft tunnel in jail for last more than three months. They dug such tunnel using lunch plates during daily three-hour time they were given to do assigned work. They did this in the name of making a ground to grow plants behind the toilets just next to barrack.

According to Additional director general of police (prisons) PC Thakur, Samarmati jail is constructed by Britishers. It has 21 ft wall over the surface and the wall goes as deep as 21 ft below the surface too. Therefore it is impossible to escape from the jail.

He said one of the prisoners involved in digging the tunnel is civil engineer while the other is Btech and another is also an engineer.

He said the prisoners belong to different states, and they are here for last five years. Their trial was stayed by Apex court, and now Jyotsnaben Yagnik has started trial.

According to the jail superintendent RM Parghi, the tunnel work was going on behind the four number yard of Chhota chakkar at a distance of 150-200 ft from the main wall of Sabarmati prison.

The tunnel came to notice when IG squad’s checking was going on in the jail.

Meanwhile the Anti Terrorist Squad, Forensic Science Laboratory, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner, Crime Branch team arrived at the jail premises to carry out investigation.

As per the fresh details available the prisoners wanted to connect the tunnel to underground gutter system of jail. As per the police, the soil in this particular part of the jail is soft due to nearby water tank, and therefore digging was not a difficult task. The prisoners had used sharp wooden stick also along with the dishes to carry out the digging work. They had also used compass to know exact directions. Ahmedabad city Crime Branch therefore today asked for a map of the gutter system of jail for detail study of prisoners’ plan.