Open House: What measures should be taken to keep a check on mobile phone use by jail inmates?

Our state government renamed central jails as Sudhar Ghar whereas no efforts were made to make it so. In reality efforts to change hardcore criminal to a good human beings were made by V Shantaram in his movie Do Ankhien Barah Hath. Here and there some NGOs are working like Art of Living started a programme SMART in Tihar Jail of Delhi. But neither any concrete programmes were chalked out nor any results had come. Instead, gangsters from inside the jail pass instructions to their accomplices outside to commit heinous crime like murder. So in this scenario reforms can’t show any results. It is also proved without doubt that mobiles and other banned items find the way inside the high security jails with the connivance of the security staff. This requires a change, security of all central jails in the country should be taken by the Central government. At present the Central government is having numerous security forces under its command in Home Ministry such as Assam Rifles (AR) , Border Security Force (BSF) , Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guards (NSG), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Out of this CISF is looking after security of all international airports in the country. On similar lines, a central security force should be formed to look after all the central jails in the country. Also this force should be empowered not only to shift their own staff from one state to another state but also shift hardcore criminals from one state to another state. As done in the case of Khalistan supporter recently. He was arrested from Rode village of Moga district but lodged in Dibrugarh jail of Assam. Strength of security men should also be increased. At present there is one security man after seven prisoners whereas in UK there is provision of two security men after three prisoners. Here in our jails due to overcrowding this ratio further comes down.

Naresh Johar

Install CCTV cameras in jails

To stop the recoveries of mobile phones from jails and jail inmates, the authorities should install CCTV cameras in jails to keep a check on prisoners. Every morning jail inmates should be physically checked. The jail minister should personally visit and review the security arrangements in central jails.

Sanjay Chawla

Install powerful jammers in jail

Smugglers have their own innovative techniques to befool the guards. I think multiple devices are smuggled into the jail. For every device discovered, there can be another gone undiscovered. Earlier, they threw them in like projectiles to land softly across the prison boundary wall. Nowadays, it must be different. One cannot rule out human couriers, or perhaps some underground channel. Police do not enjoy any reputation for people of character and integrity. It is a problem caused by technology, and technology should be discovered to tackle it. Perhaps, more powerful jammers can be employed to render all such devices useless or their communication intercepted to advantage. The force may shift their office outside the prison premises and keep only a highly guarded landline for their own use there. In any case, smuggling mobile phones into the jail cannot be possible in a truly foolproof environment.

Prof Mohan Singh

Keep watch on criminals

For good governance, the authorities will have to adopt a zero tolerance against all sorts of malpractices. Recovery of electronic devices and other material from inmates of the central jail goes contrary to the tall claims of the police department of a fool-proof security. The police officers should be very austere towards criminals and DSPs, SHOs, etc. should keep a strict check on these kind of chaotic activities.

Izleen

Break nexus between politician, police

Many times public raise this issue that there should be CCTV cameras in all police stations and all FIRs filed in police stations on a daily basis should be made public through online platforms. Surprisingly, India being a giant in the IT industry, but nothing as such has been done in the country. Corrupt officials in all government departments, including SHOs in police departments, are working normally because they have a full patronage of corrupt politicians. The corrupt politician-police nexus can only be broken provided people demand transparent governance from politicians. The rule of law should prevail in the society. No doubt strict action should be taken against these corrupt SHOs and there should be a proper time-bound inquiry into the pending cases against them. How can police demand money from the public if people are well aware of rules and laws and they obey them in their daily life? After all, it is the people who bribe officials. People need to be made more aware of laws so that crime can be eliminated from society. Religious preachers and social workers should try to bring human values into society through awareness campaigns only then bribery in the system can be eliminated. Media should also promote literacy about rules, regulations and laws so that people can be made more aware.

Harvinder Singh Chugh

Check visitors thoroughly

In response to the murder of the primary suspect in the Bargari sacrilege case, which occurred in Nabha’s jail, and the subsequent rioting at Ludhiana Central Jail, the Punjab government has increased security measures in all state prisons, includes installing CCTV cameras and drones. The topic of foolproof security systems has arisen from this incident. But according to the records, exactly 4,217 cell phones have been recovered from the cells of the accused criminals. It looks like the police have made false promises to the public. There seems to be an ongoing issue with contraband being smuggled into the jail, despite the implementation of closed-circuit cameras. Mobile phones and other items have been frequently recovered from jail inmates. It’s a complex problem that requires a more comprehensive solution. The authorities should act up now and fast! In any cell, no ingress or egress is possible without the knowledge and permission of the jail officials. It is a fact that whatever is found in the cells is found with the connivance and knowledge of the person responsible for its stoppage. I suggest regular background check of the jailor, concerning income-derived, money spent so that they should not get involved in any sort of earning through permitting banned articles into the jails. Another way of sending these things to jail is by making throws across the walls. Though the height of the walls is good enough, I suggest that strong nets should be installed which will stop any such nuisance. All visitors should be thoroughly checked as per the norms of airport security. I think that through these measures, the police department can make some progress.

Lakshit Jindal

Release prisoners for good conduct

There are number of reasons of recovery of mobiles and other material in the Central Jails. The major reason is overcrowded jails. At present the prescribed number of prisoners as recommended by the jail manual has increased to a great extent than the capacity of the jail barracks making inconvenient to the jail authorities to handle the inmates and facing all the allegations alleged in regard to recovery of mobiles and other material from the inmates. The prisoners who have completed more than 10 years in jail subject to good conduct should be released on bail. Females who are under trials or serving imprisonment for cases like thefts, etc. or police officials convicted due to inhuman action done by them during the days of militancy may be released on bail keeping in mind their conduct and track record in the jail. When the central jail will not be overcrowded the system will automatically be better then there will be less chances of finding mobiles in jails. Police officials on jail duty should be reshuffled after three years as a routine process. With the change of guards everything will be under control and all the allegations will come to standstill in regard to the Central Jail recoveries of mobiles and other material.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Take help of technology

Jail inmates are forbidden from possessing mobile phones due to their ability to communicate with the outside world and other security issues. The tall claims by police about foolproof security in jails, every now and then we received the news of recovering mobile phones from jails. These are usually smuggled with the help of jail staff and by the visitors. Through phones they can easily communicate with their fellow gang members, plan escape from custody or some serious crimes. Prison is meant to be a form of exile and not for luxuries and frills. It is very difficult to keep a check and monitor on the calls and messages they send through phones to others outside jail. There should be tight security at the jail entrance. It is often observed that jail officials trust their fellow beings and security lapse is occurred. To avoid all these things, there should be jammers in the jail. Now-a-days technology is so advance that cell phone location can be easily found.

Shashi Kiran

Deploy real-time spectrum analyser

Frequent recoveries of mobile phones and other related devices have become a major problem for prisons around the world. Mobile phones make it possible for prisoners to communicate with people outside the prison and transmit text, video, or other information, potentially for coordinating crimes or purchasing additional contraband. Such activities jeopardise the safety and security of the prisons and the public. Given the large inmate populations, it’s difficult to prevent mobile phones from entering a prison. As with all contraband brought into prisons, a variety of tactics are often used to circumvent security measures including bribing the guards or having items thrown over the fence. However, preventive techniques used to discover or disable these mobile phones usually involve legal or practical issues that limit their viability and effectiveness. Random searches and pat-downs require time and resources and can easily miss contraband when dealing with so many people. Similarly, jamming techniques too face legal barriers as they have the potential to disrupt the connectivity for guards, emergency services, or people in adjacent areas. Therefore, a compact, versatile, and remotely deployable network-based real-time spectrum analyser can be deployed to continuously detect the signals coming from a specific mobile or area in the prison and even can alert guards regarding the presence of drones by detecting radio frequency signals. Hence, it would improve the safety and security of the prisons.

Dr Kulwant Singh Phull

Make jail officials responsible

It looks weird that newspapers are carrying almost daily reports of recovery of mobile phones from jail inmates. Even more disturbing is recovery of drugs and weapons despite of government’s occasional claims against eradication of the menace which is threatening the very efficacy of jail administration in the state. It is very unfortunate that the serious violations against jail manuals are going on with impunity under the very nose of jail authorities. There is no other remedy except to make the respective jail superintendent and the senior authorities fully responsible and accountable for the recovery of mobile phones and other prohibited items from the jail inmates under their control and supervision. This mounts to the worst form of corruption against the principles of justice and can be considered as a vulgar form of sedition against the state. However, the prevalence and

continuation of such illegal practices are not possible without the connivance and support of jail authorities. The government must take strict departmental action against the erring jail staff in a time-bound manner. Besides, the criminal proceedings need to be simultaneously initiated against the delinquent staff under corruption and sedition laws of the land.

Jagdish Chander

Rotate jail staff

Prisons are meant for incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation of convicted persons by depriving open access to society. In legal terms, it is the retribution or punishment for crimes committed, where the incarcerated person is forced to live in a solitary confinement with little or no contact with other people. Obviously, the main aim of imprisonment is to keep away the wrongdoer from social communication / contacts for refinement by realising the mistaken deeds. But in the modern age, except for the physical contacts, mostly such connects are overpowered through electronic devices due to which hardly anyone feels distanced. As such, despite tall claims by the government of foolproof security in prisons, incidents of recovery of objectionable items are often reported from the inmates. Therefore, apart from certain banned items, the prisoners are prohibited to keep any communication gadgets as described in the jail manual. Recently, the authorities of Central Jails in Punjab and other states have recovered several mobile phones, sharp-edged weapons and even some drugs during search operations. The criminals are found sharing hoarse instructions, inciting violence and host of other malpractices through such devices. As a consequence thereof, still the gang wars and other criminal activities are rampant by their accomplices, though several gangsters and drug peddlers are detained behind the bars. While one such solution is the strict surveillance through CCTV close circuits and monitoring around the barracks, but installation of jammers around the periphery of sensitive prisons are utmost essential. The routine duties of the employees and workers deployed inside the jails be rotated frequently so that they don’t develop intimate connects with the prisoners.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Strengthen security mechanism

The authorities should strengthen the current surveillance mechanism, as the most promising move, to minimise the occurrences of recoveries of mobile phones and other forbidden possessions from the inmates. The cops need to be a step ahead of the plotting criminals, and should not allow them to continue carrying out their evil operations from the jail precincts. CCTVs must be installed in every nook and corner of the premises, as well as, that of the vicinity, to detect any suspicious movement. Also, a round-the-clock vigilance or guard is a must on the activities of the prisoners, besides a regular inspection of the lock-ups and spaces in and around the jail, to locate and block any secret routes or tunnels, linking interior of the jailhouse to the exterior world. Central jails must be well-equipped with call blocking and anti-drone systems.

ANSHIKA KOHLI

Increase patrolling outside jail

Surprise crackdown in the barracks of various Central jails across the state often leads to the recovery of mobile phones, sim cards, batteries and chargers of different brands, sachets of tobacco, cigarettes packets, drugs and other intoxicants from inmates. These articles are often abandoned on the jail premises, including luggage, clothes, bathrooms, cracks of walls or holes in floors and gardens. Despite tight security, inmates use various methods and manage to get phones inside the jail. Sometimes, when they come back from court hearings, they hide China-made mini mobile phones in their private parts. Aids of inmates also throw packets containing phones and contrabands over the high walls of jails from outside. Some dishonest police officials, tea stall owners and other inmates are also responsible for the menace. The spurt in daily average recovery has become a major security concern for authorities in Punjab as these give easy access to hardcore criminals, including gangsters and drug smugglers, to operate their network freely while sitting behind bars.

D S Kang

Make prison act more stringent

During random inspection, the recovery of mobile phones and various kind of intoxicants from Central jails in Punjab has raised a serious concern. Notwithstanding tall claims by authorities, the jail inmates get this contraband material with impunity, exposing chinks in its security arrangements. When these prisoners are taken to courts or hospitals, they are helped by their friends, relatives and other known people who use fake identification proofs to get them Sim cards. On their return to the jail, inmates often hide cell phones in their belongings or rectum areas to dodge the staff on duty at the gates. The problem also exists due to the alleged connivance of police officials or their half-hearted efforts to check it. As a result, gangsters, drug peddlers and other criminals run their illicit business activities from inside the jail. There should be regular checking of jail barracks and increased vigil at the entry and around the jails. The existing Prison Act should be made more stringent so that inmates sitting in jails do not get bail and the police department takes them into custody for further investigation.

Parvaan Singh Kang

Use high-end technology

Despite tall claims of the police department that a foolproof security has been provided in the Central jails, there has been no let-up in the cases of recoveries of mobile phones and other material from inmates. The government authorities can take various steps to stop such incidents. Primarily, the government can contribute more to increase in frisking and checking at the jail entrance. Moreover, in Punjab the state government can take technological measures to stop such incidents in prisons. Therefore, by use of such various steps these kind of incidents can be stopped or reduced up to some extent.

Jasleen Kaur

QUESTION

Are floods in Punjab, which left behind a trail of destructions, a sign that climate change planning specifically needs to be a part of governance to avert such disasters in future? What steps need to be taken to avoid such situation?

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