Faridkot, July 10
Tall claims of the state government have fallen flat time and again when it comes to keeping tabs on use of cellphones by inmates in the jails.
In the past two weeks, 31 mobile phones have been seized at Faridkot Central Jail, which houses over 2,200 inmates, including gangsters. In the past five days, the jail authorities seized 17 mobile phones, including one from a woman inmate.
Though the government has directed officials of the Prisons Department to explore modalities to introduce latest technology to stop the usage of mobile phones inside the jails and also counduct a probe to look into the calls made from seized phones to probe the links between the inmates and the outsiders, nothing conclusive has come out in the investigations so far.
After the seizure of 10 “abandoned” mobile phones from Faridkot jail, the authorities concluded that the gadgets were thrown across the 30-foot boundary wall from outside.
A senior police officer said the authorities deployed guards at vulnerable points on the inner perimeter, but seizure of mobile phones revealed that inflow was still continuing. On Friday, the jail authorities had arrested two persons for trying to throw mobile phones and other prohibited items, including cigarettes from outside.
Sources revealed that most of the “abandoned” mobile phones were seized from bathrooms in the jail. Inmates usually leave their phones in bathrooms during inspection of barracks.
“As investigators fail to trace contacts and call history of “abandoned” mobile phones, seizure of cellphones hardly acts as a deterrent,” sources said.
Guards deployed at vulnerable points
The jail authorities deployed guards at vulnerable points on the inner perimeter, but seizure of mobile phones proves that inflow is still continuing. — Senior police officer
Two weeks on, 31cellphones seized in Faridkot Central Jail
{$excerpt:n}
