Three Prisoners Booked for Assaulting Officer at Kannur Central Jail

Three prisoners of Kannur Central Jail have been booked for allegedly assaulting an Assistant Prison Officer during a confrontation inside the prison, adding to a series of violent incidents and security concerns reported at the facility over the past several months.

The incident occurred around 5 pm on September 22 in Block 10, when Assistant Prison Officer Zayed Ali Ajsal was on security duty. According to the FIR, prisoner Vishnu allegedly refused to follow Ajsal’s directions, verbally abused him, caught him by the neck and assaulted him before pushing him to the ground and kicking him. When other prison officials intervened, prisoners Adarsh Chandrashekaran and Brahmajith allegedly joined the confrontation and attempted to attack the officials. They were also accused of obstructing personnel from performing their duties.

Following a complaint from the Prison Superintendent, Kannur Town Police registered a case against the three prisoners for alleged verbal abuse, voluntarily causing hurt and assault. The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

The latest incident follows a serious June 30 clash involving KAAPA detainees, in which reports said five prison officials and six prisoners were injured. The confrontation began after detainee Jalaluddin allegedly injured himself with a blade. Reports said around 83 KAAPA detainees from Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki were housed at Kannur, with many facing multiple criminal cases.

Security concerns continued in August, when a KAAPA detainee was reportedly stabbed during a clash between prisoners and taken to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital. Another prisoner clash was subsequently reported in Block 5.

Overcrowding remains a major concern. The prison’s sanctioned capacity is 948, while its population was reported at around 1,020 in August and approximately 1,050 during the June disturbances. A June report said about 120 personnel were available against a requirement of 150, with 25 away for training and around 10 regularly deployed for hospital escorts, leaving roughly 50 personnel for routine prison duties at times.

The wider Kerala prison system housed 9,979 prisoners against capacity for 7,416, while the prescribed guard strength of 3,574 was reportedly against an actual strength of 1,731.

Kannur Central Prison, established in 1869, has also faced security scrutiny since the 2025 escape of convict Govindachamy, prompting inquiries and measures including electric fencing, AI-powered CCTV surveillance and staff strengthening.

The latest assault is therefore the newest episode in a facility facing overcrowding, manpower pressure and recurring security challenges, although no evidence currently establishes that these factors directly caused the September 22 attack.