Jakarta – Police stormed a top-security prison here early yesterday, killing one inmate and injuring three others as they quelled a riot over plans to transfer 50 prisoners to other jails, police said.

"One inmate was shot dead while three others were injured by gunshots," Jakarta chief detective Harry Montolalu said during the pre-dawn assault on the rioters who were torching buildings in the overcrowded Cipinang jail.

The jail housed scores of political prisoners under the 32-year regime of former Indonesian president Suharto.

Mr Montolalu said the riot, during which the inmates burnt down three buildings, including an administration block, and pelted wardens with stones, was over by noon yesterday.

Director-General of Penitentiary Affairs Adi Sujatno told journalists at the jail that the rioting broke out around 4 am yesterday. Mr Adi said the riot was triggered by the authorities' plan to move some prisoners to other jails in nearby Tanggerang and in Cirebon, West Java.

Mr Ari Prasongko, a jail warden, said the transfer plan was only the "tip of the iceberg". "In reality, there are a lot of problems here in the prison," he said without elaborating.

A plywood board placed by the prisoners for journalists to read said: "We, all inmates here ... want to be released if Tommy is not arrested."

Tommy refers to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of Mr Suharto who has been a fugitive since failing to turn himself in to serve an 18-month jail term for corruption on November 3.