There is hardly any need for an act of daredevilry like the sensational jailbreak in Bangalore’s high-security Central Prison to escape from the Mangalore District Prison. An inmate can easily divert attention of the prison staff and flee.
Even the Prison officials admit this. They agree that a jailbreak is a possibility but blame staff shortage and inadequate security apparatus. “We are fortunate that no attempt has been made so far,” an officer told The Hindu on condition of anonymity.
The District Prison as on Monday had a total of 275 inmates, including 15 women (housed in a separate enclosure) and five persons convicted for petty offences. It also houses underworld operative Rasheed Malabari, alleged aide of Chota Shakeel, who was recently convicted for illegal possession of arms. Permission is awaited to move Malabari to a Central Prison.
Only 11 persons, including the Superintendent and Jailor, of the 29 allotted personnel look after the inmates at a given time. All the inmates, excluding women, are housed in the new prison that does not have a boundary wall. Construction of the wall is going on at a slow pace.
