Assam college houses inmates of flooded jail

GUWAHATI: The Dhubri Girls' College will function as a prison, at least until the floods in Assam recede. Inmates of the Dhubri district jail - 401 men and eight women - were moved to the make-shift prison on Monday night after the jail was inundated.
On Monday evening, floodwaters started gushing into the jail. The procedure that had to be followed was in place. Police and district administration had to choose a site.The Dhubri district library was the first choice. But it got flooded too.
The college campus, barely 100m from the prison, was next. It helped that summer vacation was on. "The Dhubri district administration notified the college campus as the new jail premises and relocation began. Within an hour and half, we had moved all inmates," Raunak Ali Hazarika, DIG (western range), told TOI .
But then, the college building got flooded. Inmates were quickly put up in classrooms on the first floor, where they remain confined now .
Taking no chances, police personnel have been patrolling the area - wading through floodwaters around the building.
"While the jail staff and existing system are in place, an additional police company was called in from Panbari. The district administration has also engaged top officials to monitor the situation," the DIG said.
Assam Police are counting on the situation improving soon.