New Delhi: 656 cases of prisoners smuggling prohibited objects, threatening the jail staff and scuffle involving inmates have been reported this year in Tihar prisons.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of
State for Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran said, "There
has been a total of 656 instances of prisoners being found
with illegal objects like tobacco, currency notes, threatening
the jail staff, scuffle involving inmates etc during the
current year till date."
Ramachandran said the prisoners were given punishment as
permissible under the Jail Maunal/Delhi Prison Act by the
jail superintendent.
"Departmental actions has also been taken against 10 jail
officials for dereliction of duty in connection with recovery
of prohibited items and scuffles between inmates," he said.
He also informed that the High Court had sought a report
in this regard from Tihar authorities and directed them to
take certain precautionary steps.
To check smuggling of prohibited articles and to stop
scuffles between prisoner in the jail, prison authorities
installed door frame metal detectors, CCTV cameras and 11
mobile phone jammers inside the jail premises.
Stringent searching and body frisking of every prisoner
visitor and jail staff too have been started, he said.
PTI
