Over 150 mobiles phones, including high-end android models, have been seized from the Central Prison, Puzhal in the last one-and-a-half months, according to sources.
Recently, the jail authorities, with assistance from personnel of the Tamil Nadu Special Police and city police, conducted surprise checks on the premises and unearthed mobile phones from even toilets, trees, prisoners’ cells and the grounds. On November 1, jail authorities reportedly seized high-end mobile phones from a block in Puzhal-II central prison. At least five mobile phones were seized from terror suspects, including those arrested in connection with the murder of a Hindu Munnani functionary recently.
About a dozen inmates who were either in possession of the phones or had used them were shifted to the high security block.
The searches were conducted on the instructions of the Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) Vijay Kumar. About a week ago, the authorities conducted raids and again retrieved four phones from the under-trial prisoners’cells and those secreted away in a tree. The phones were used to communicate with accomplices and execute other illegal acts, sources claimed.
Only two days ago, prison officials stumbled upon a prisoner who was talking over a mobile phone inside a toilet. After retrieving the phone from him, further interrogation revealed that the suspect Dinesh (25) of MGR Nagar was lodged in the prison after he was arrested in connection with a robbery case. The authorities also found two more cellphones inside the septic tank of a toilet which is not being used. Following a complaint given by Jayaraman, Jailor, Puzhal, a case was registered and investigations began on who had supplied the mobile phones.
Modus operandi
The sprawling 47-acre campus of the prison, just off a national highway made it convenient for contacts from outside to lob the phones and other contraband into the campus at night. Officials said remand prisoners soon familiarised themselves with the topography of the place and learning that there was a great demand among prisoners for cell phones, once they got out of prison, become suppliers of the contraband. They throw the phones encased in a rubber stuffing across the wall, climbing on a min van or a tipper lorry to reach over the height of the prison walls.
In yet another incident, two persons who came on a bike, parked near the wall of the prison and threw some ganja into the prison campus. However, jail staff who were on duty spotted the duo and rounded them up. Prison authorities also recounted how the mother of a prisoner tried to slip him some ganja conealed in a biscuit packet.
More prisoners, inadequate staff
A prison official, on condition of anonymity, told The Hindu , “After the murder of software engineer S. Swathi, more people were arrested for various offences, remanded and lodged in prison. The strength of remand prisoners has increased substantially in the cells. Once inside the prison, it becomes impossible for them to live here without such electronic gadgets”.
V. Kannnadasan, advocate, said that the the strength of prison staff should be increased. “Better enforcement and control of such nefarious activities inside the prison can be effected only if there are adequate staff inside the campus. Then, it would be easy to ensure that no phones or other contraband enter the prison at all,” he said.
