UP’s Jailhouse Rock: Hypersensitive Jails on radar for prison reforms
- Arijit Bose
- Jul 27, 2019
- 4 min read
Despite best efforts troubles from jail inmates surmount in UP, to do away with the issue a new three tier cordon is being worked out on lines of Tihar Jail for 25 out of 70 hyper sensitive jails of UP.
With a bevy of reports surfacing of how unlawful activities were flourishing despite the watchful eye of jail administrations, the police are now taking things to their stride.
On the lines of Delhi’s high security Tihar Jail, security at 25 out of 70 hyper sensitive jails across UP is being upgraded, so as to ensure cutting down criminal-jail staff nexus.
Not only have videos of hooliganism from inside UP jails been leaked, multiple knives, sharp edged weapons, mobile phones and foreign notes were found with inmates during checks at Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj on June 30.
The move comes at the backdrop of several security lapses in UP jails. Notably hyper-sensitive jails are those where criminals, terror suspects, mafia kingpins and high profile accused are lodged.
The plan of execution will be a three phased one, including handing over outer cordon of the jails to police personnel other than the jail staff, as per Anand Kumar, D-G, UP Prison Administration and Reform Services.
A proposal to this effect has been made so as to make 1,300 civil police personnel available for the outer cordon of jails.
These jails in UP are being sanitised to ensure nothing is inside that may give criminals and gangsters the upper hand.
Even the jail staff cannot carry cell phones during duty hours, say police officials.
Meanwhile to add teeth to the police paraphernalia, the state government has apprised the state government for the need of 3,678 jail staff, including warders and jail guards, says an official.
The developments of the day come after a recent video shows things from a different perspective. A recent viral video made by inmates in Unnao jail shows that inmates are openly flaunting weapons despite strict restrictions inside.
The video has criminal elements like Meerut’s Amresh Rawat and Rae Bareli’s Dev Pratap Singh aka Gaurav. The person in the video is openly seen challenging the very authority of the Yogi regime
The jail inmates have full access to any and everything related to merry making. More than punishment, life inside jails seems to be a party. Food and liquor is available aplenty. Beedi, cigarette and smack is easily accessible.
Acting immediately on the serious matter the Uttar Pradesh government had earlier transferred 21 jailors and 44 deputy jailors across UP. Notably this is not a one of case. There have been a series of video clips showing inmates of Unnao district jail bypassing law.
These videos interestingly were made with prisoners and jail officials being hand in glove.
Speaking to the media, even Additional Director General (Prisons) Anand Kumar has said that the attempt has been to put pressure on prison administration.
There is a growing trend of reported unlawful activitity from inside jails in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier in June 6, the Naini Central Jail inmates indulged in drinking liquor and savouring non-vegetarian dishes at a party celebrating don Atiq Ahmed’s transfer to Sabarmati Jail. Even jails in Prayagraj, Rae Bareili jail and Sultanpur have been facing similar conditions as per recent reports.
Convicts have been caught slapping and abusing undertrials at the Raebareli prison.
It would be pertinent to mention that Uttar Pradesh has been in the spotlight for murders inside jail after noted gangster Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi got killed inside a Baghpat jail July last. From internal extortion rackets to hardcore partying, drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, UP’s jails over the past few years has gained notoriety for all sorts of things.
With these videos out now serious questions are being raised on the claims of the government that law and order is the top priority of the state government. This also raises serious concerns on the safety of the average citizen of the state.
Watchers of the crime scene in the state continue to question how weapons enter a high security zone like a jail. Many claim that exchange of money through unchecked channels cannot be ruled out. After all smartphones, gadgets, gizmos and weapons do not come for free, add sources.
Over the past few years crime has seen a sudden increase with a high number of rapes, murders, dacoity happening. The fear of law is completely lacking. Meanwhile the state government has tried to do its bit to rid the state of a law and order problem.
Uttar Pradesh is also said to be grappling with a massive shortage of prison staff with just 4,350 personnel against a required strength of 9,000 needed to man the state’s 71 prisons if reports of last year are to be considered.
At least 96,580 inmates were lodged in UP jails as on April 2018.
A report in a national daily specified in early 2018 that there were only 175 personnel in the Lucknow district jail, which had 3,300 prisoners then.
There are also growing calls for technology upgrade for prison surveillance and control in UP jails. The UP government earlier earmarked Rs 2.4 crore to install CCTVs in 43 jails.
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