When an IPS Officer Defied Protocol and 1,200 Inmates Took Over a Jail

It was early morning after Holi in 2002, and Bihar’s Saran district was gradually awakening. At that hour, Kundan Krishnan, then Superintendent of Police, along with his bodyguard Jitendra Singh and local SHO Arjun Lal, made a bold, unconventional decision that became part of the state’s lore.

The trio scaled the tall walls of Chhapra Jail and landed on the administration building’s roof, stepping into a hornet’s nest. The prison was in full-scale rebellion. Rioting inmates had ousted the jail administration and turned the locked main gate into a potential fire hazard by stacking gas cylinders against it to prevent authorities from entering.

“The prisoners had stacked cylinders behind the locked gate, ensuring that any attempt to cut through with gas cutters from the outside would trigger an explosion,” Krishnan, now Director General (Operations), Bihar Police, told The Indian Express. “The path could not be cleared from outside—only from within. That is why we had to climb the wall.”

For their courage and decisive action that day, Krishnan, Singh, and Lal were awarded the Medal for Gallantry on Republic Day 2026.

A Jail Under Siege

The unrest began on March 28, 2002, when an order to transfer five notorious offenders triggered the uprising. Over 1,200 prisoners took control of the jail for three days, destroying government property and attacking staff with improvised weapons and homemade bombs. They fortified the compound, perched on rooftops and trees, and hurled stones and “string bombs” at anyone attempting to approach.

Krishnan recalled, “One of the BMP barracks was being broken into. Every time we tried to use a fire engine ladder to look over the wall, they pelted stones and string bombs at US.”

The jail, located at the heart of Chhapra town and encircled by wide roadways, saw external supporters take advantage of Holi celebrations to smuggle supplies into the compound, prolonging the revolt. The administration cut off water and electricity, but even after two days, authorities could not reclaim control. Journalists swarmed the area, while prisoners’ relatives added to the unrest by throwing stones at security forces.

Finally, on March 30, 2002, the Bihar government entrusted Krishnan with the task of reclaiming the jail, in what he described as a “do-or-die scenario.”

The Bold Operation

Krishnan organized a coordinated assault to divide the inmates’ attention, planning entry from three points simultaneously. Two teams failed to breach the jail. “We had no other option,” he said. With just Lal and Singh, Krishnan moved through the administrative block into the yard, carrying a carbine. They painstakingly cleared the gas cylinders away from the gate, allowing a gas cutter to create an entry point.

Police then used tear gas, hand grenades, and self-defense fire to disperse the rioters over four intense hours. By the time the compound was secured, the yard was littered with confiscated firearms, cartridges, and improvised explosives. The clash left four convicts dead, 28 police officers injured, and seven detainees wounded.

Krishnan himself sustained injuries—a stone shattered a finger, and a bomb blast blew off his shoe—but he emerged alive and laughing at the memory of the perilous operation.

Recognition and Legacy

For their bravery during the Chhapra jail operation, Kundan Krishnan, Arjun Lal, and Jitendra Singh were awarded the Medal for Gallantry. The recognition came nearly 24 years later, on Republic Day 2026.

Krishnan, a 1994-batch IPS officer, has served as SP and SSP in multiple districts, ADG at Bihar Police Headquarters, and ADG in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). During the same Republic Day awards, 17 Bihar Police officers received the Medal for Meritorious Service, and two others received the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. DSP Ruby Chaudhary and Head Constable Bhola Rai of the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Patna were also honoured.

Vinay Kumar, Director General of Police for Bihar, congratulated all awardees for their exceptional service and dedication.