In order to curb crimes from inside jails and misuse of mobile phones in prisons, the Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday banned carrying of phones inside jail premises by any person, including security personnel.
Director General of Prisons Anand Kumar on Saturday issued an order banning the entry of mobile phones inside jail premises. The order, however, exempts jail superintendents or jail in-charges and jailers, who will be allowed to use their CUG mobile phones in their offices.
But all other jail employees and security personnel, and others will not be allowed to enter a jail with mobile phones.
The DG (Prisons) also directed all jail officials to set up lockers at the entrance of prisons to store mobile phones of employees and security personnel.
All persons visiting a jail will have to deposit their mobile phones for storing them in the locker and they will be issued tokens .
Kumar also directed jail officials to regularly check and inspect barracks and routinely make thorough checking of prisoners when they leave the jail or return after appearance in court. Checking has also been advised for people meeting prisoners and frisking of inmates after their meeting with anyone.
Recently, the UP government had to face embarrassment after videos of inmates partying and flashing firearms inside jail were circulated on social media. The government, however, had claimed that these videos were uploaded to put pressure on jail officials and defame them.