State mulls e-prisons

Sanjay Pathak

Kathua, April 22

In a move aimed at streamlining security in the state and lessening burden on the state exchequer, the Prisons Department has decided to switch over to “e-prison” concept soon.

On a visit to the Kathua District Jail here, DG, Prisons, Dr SP Vaid said his department had been mulling over e-prison concept where dreaded terrorists and hardened criminals would be produced before courts via video-conferencing and Skype.

“We will soon set up this system in all prisons of the state. On the date of hearings, militants and criminals will be presented before the courts via video-conferencing and Skype,” Vaid said.

A prison official said on the date of court hearings, the Prison Department as of now had to undertake a tedious exercise of arranging security to transport militants all the way to the courts in their respective districts.

“This not only consumes time and money but also poses a challenge to the security of prisoners. We undertake big but avoidable exercise of transporting militants to their district courts on the date of hearing and then back to the prison,” he said.

The high security Kathua Jail has several Kashmiri and some foreign militants, who were arrested in Kashmir and then lodged in the Kathua Jail and other prisons in the Jammu region.

Kot Bhalwal Jail is another such prison where Kashmiri and foreign militants were frequently lodged.

Earlier, Dr Vaid accompanied by DIG, Prisons, Dr Mohammad Sultan Lone visited the District Jail, Kathua, and took stock of the infrastructural facilities there.

Vaid also discussed various important issues pertaining to welfare of prisoners and stressed on introducing skill development programmes for prisoners with Superintendent, District Jail, Kathua, Bushan Lal Bali.

Later, the DGP also visited the sub-jail, Hiranagar, and reviewed the overall security scenario.

During his brief visit, the DGP reviewed the overall security of the jail and necessary instructions were issued on spot. He also interacted with all prisoners and assessed basic facilities being provided to them.