Shooting erupts after riot police enter Kyrgyz prison
Gunfire erupted and casualties were reported at a Kyrgyz prison today when riot police entered to restore order.
The Modovanovka prison colony, about 12 miles north of the capital, Bishkek, was surrounded by dozens of troops armed with Kalashnikov rifles. Witnesses saw at least two ambulances leaving the prison compound.
On October 20 inmates killed prison system director Ikmatullo Polotov, visiting politician Tynychbek Akmatbayev and two other people while they were on a tour of the facility.
Riot police were sent into complex, which houses 450 inmates, early today in an operation that resulted in casualties, said a senior Justice Ministry official. He gave no further details.
A resident of the prison neighbourhood who gave only his first name, Sergei, said he had heard shooting inside the prison lasting for about 30 minutes early today.
Yaha Batukayeva, sister of criminal boss Aziz Batukayev who is held in the prison, said authorities had removed about 30 of the prison’s most dangerous inmates ahead of today’s operation.
Meanwhile, police in southern Jalal Abad region said they put down a riot by inmates in a prison. A duty officer at the regional police said there were no casualties.
Kyrgyz AKIpress news agency said authorities were holding negotiations with rioting inmates in yet another prison in the village of Petrovka outside Bishkek. Police officials wouldn’t comment on the report.
Akmatbayev was the third politician to be killed since the March uprising that forced long-time Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev to flee the country and resign.
Some officials alleged that Akmatbayev’s killing was linked to feuding criminal gangs. It is believed that Batukayev had been in conflict with Akmatbayev’s brother, Ryspek, who is an alleged criminal boss.
After his brother’s murder, Ryspek organised protests in Bishkek to press for Prime Minister Felix Kulov’s ouster. Protests ended after five days following President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s pledge to hold an investigation.
