The Delhi High Court on Monday questioned authorities at the Tihar jail in connection with the murder of gangster Sunil Mann alias Tillu Tajpuriya allegedly by rival gang members inside the prison complex, PTI reported.

Justice Jasmeet Singh said that the incident was a reflection of a “totally unacceptable state of affairs”.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Tajpuriya’s father and brother seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the gangster’s killing.

Tajpuriya was lodged in jail in connection with the killing of gangster Jitender Gogi, who was shot dead by men dressed as lawyers at the city’s Rohini court in 2021. The shooters, who allegedly worked for the gang led by Tajpuriya, were killed in retaliatory firing by the police.

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According to the police, a prisoner named Yogesh and other members of a rival gang attacked Tajpuriya with sharp-edged weapons in the high-security prison. A preliminary autopsy report showed that the gangster’s body had 92 wound marks. The incident was captured on a closed-circuit television camera.

On Monday, Justice Jasmeet Singh said the court is unable to comprehend why no steps were taken by authorities if the incident was captured on CCTV cameras inside the jail, reported NDTV.

Justice Singh also questioned how sharp-edged weapons were found inside the prison. He also directed the jail superintendent to be present in the court on the next date of the hearing.

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Senior counsel Maninder Singh, representing the petitioners, told the judge that the CCTV footage was 12 minutes long and questioned why authorities did not intervene, according to The Indian Express. “The video was widely circulated all over the world,” he said. “How can something like this happen in Tihar jail?”

The court also ordered the Delhi Police to ensure the safety and security of both the petitioners. It will hear the case on May 25.