Adiala Jail Superintendent Malik Mushtaq Awan, when contacted by this correspondent for his comments, confirmed the report, saying that the aspect of murder could not be ruled out. He said that five inmates kept in a cell were declared mental patients and they were under treatment of psychiatrists. He said that the sessions judge, Rawalpindi, has ordered an inquiry to ascertain facts, adding that the court has appointed a magistrate to inquire into the case and submit a report to the sessions judge.

A source in the prison, who is facing death penalty and witnessed the episode, told ‘The News’ that five condemned prisoners, including the 60-year-old victim, Irshad Satti, hailing from Kotli Sattian, confined in the cell for the last one-and-a-half years and suspected killers — Waqas Kiani, resident of Kohinoor Colony, and Hanif alias Dacoit, hailing from Taxila — were confined in Cell-I of Barrack-5, which was declared psycho-patient cell. He said that convicted Waqas and Hanif were in their thirties, while Irshad Satti was an old man. The source, telling the administrative structure of the jail, said: “Every barrack comprised 8 cells. Every cell is 6x6 square feet. Five prisoners on death row are confined in every cell.”

Four prisoners — Waqas, Hanif, Khaliq and Latif — were involved in the killing, sources disclosed, adding that Waqas and Hanif were the main accused, while Khaliq and Latif helped in the murder.

Police have taken up the case and started proceeding according to the report of the judicial inquiry officer. On the other hand, the jail administration has initiated internal inquiry to ascertain the responsibility of the jail officials who were on duty at the time of the murder.The dead body of Irshad Satti was handed over to his heirs after conducting postmortem.