Delhi prisons order batons, pepper spray to control brawls between inmates

The Delhi Prisons Department has initiated the process of procuring electric shock batons, pepper sprays and other non-lethal weapons to be used by prison personnel to quell inmate brawls inside jails, officials said on Friday.

The announcement comes after the prison department received criticism over the killing of gangster Sunil Balyan, alias Tillu Tajpuriya, inside the high-security Tihar Jail, allegedly by members of a rival gang.

In the initial phase, the three prison complexes in the national capital will be equipped with 80 electric shock batons, 160 full-body protectors, 80 pepper sprays and 160 T-batons, according to a senior officer at Tihar Jail.

Polycarbonate lathis, polycarbonate shield and helmets have also been ordered for the safety of prison personnel against unruly inmates, officials said.

The use of non-lethal weapons was recommended in a report by officials detailing the lapses in security in Delhi prisons.

According to jail officials, the proposal for the ...