A jail guard posted at Morena prison has been arrested for vandalising vehicles and assaulting residents over two consecutive nights in Gwalior's Shri Vihar Colony, police said on Monday. The accused, identified as Vivek Yadav, was picked up after CCTV footage from the colony helped investigators trace him through the car he was using.

According to officials at the Bahodapur police station, the jail guard's actions left residents of the colony rattled, with multiple vehicles damaged and at least one person injured in the assault. A case has been registered against him under sections relating to assault and vandalism, and he is currently being questioned.

Attack On Colony Resident

Police said the trouble began on the night of June 14, when Sudeep Pratap Verma, a resident of Shri Vihar Colony, noticed a young man loitering suspiciously around 2:30 am. When Verma questioned him, the man allegedly began hurling abuses. Things escalated quickly after that, with the accused picking up a stone and striking Verma, injuring his hand.

Not stopping there, the accused went on to smash the front windscreen of Verma's i10 car. He then moved to a neighbouring house and broke the rear glass of Harish Sharma's WagonR, before leaving the colony.

Vandalism Repeated Next Night

What surprised police was that the same man returned to the colony the following night and resumed the vandalism. This time, he broke the rear windscreen of a Fiat car belonging to Pradyumna Maheshwari. He also pelted stones at the iron gate of Umashankar Dwivedi's house, according to the complaint filed with police.

The repeated nature of the attacks over two straight nights left several households in the colony anxious, residents told police, prompting them to approach the Bahodapur station with their complaints.

CCTV Footage Cracks Case

Investigators began scanning CCTV cameras installed in and around the colony soon after the complaints came in. The footage showed a Seltos car moving through the area on both nights, and police were able to identify the accused using the vehicle's registration number.

That trail led them to Vivek Yadav, a resident of Gwalior's Anand Nagar locality who currently works as a jail guard at the Morena district prison.

Drug Addiction Suspected

During preliminary questioning, police said indications emerged that Yadav has a history of substance abuse. Investigators believe he may have been under the influence of drugs when he carried out the vandalism on both occasions, though this aspect is still being examined as part of the ongoing probe.

Police Confirm Arrest

Bahodapur police station in-charge Alok Singh Parihar said the accused had been booked under charges of assault, vandalism and other related sections, and that he was arrested and taken into custody for questioning. Parihar added that the fact a government employee had indulged in such conduct made the matter all the more serious, and that further action would be taken strictly as per rules.

Police have not ruled out additional charges once the questioning is completed and have indicated that Yadav's service record and conduct will also be reviewed by the jail department, given his position as a serving jail guard.