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Even as incessant rains unleashing havoc in Uttar Pradesh by claiming over 75 lives in the past one week, rain waters flooded barracks of Ballia District Jail on the banks of the Ganga river, forcing authorities to shift the inmates to prisons in neighbouring districts on Monday.
As per reports, as water started flooding the jail premises, authorities intimated the district administration and also the government on Sunday, requesting permission to shift the inmates.
Subsequently, Ballia’s District Magistrate Bhavani Singh Khangaraut and Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath reached the prison for inspection on Sunday evening.
Late in the night, four circle officers and force from 22 police stations backed by PAC jawans reached the jail. The authorities summoned UP Roadways and private buses to shift the inmates to other jails.
Varanasi Zone  ADG Brij Bhushan and Azamgarh Range DIG Manoj Tewari also visited the prison to supervise the shifting of the inmates.
Of the 863 inmates, 500, including 44 women inmates, were shifted to Azamgarh Jail and the rest 363 to Ambedkarnagar district jail in the wee hours of Monday.
Bhavani Singh Khangaraut said, “Ballia jail is located near the Ganga river which has been in spate and it was not possible to pump out water.
Waterlogging of five inches to a foot was reported from all the barracks. The situation was hence reported to the state government and Prison department for necessary orders.”
Ballia District Jail has a capacity of 350 inmates, but is overcrowded with over 850 prisoners. The jail building is in a dilapidated condition and is located in a low lying area.