Punjab Government on Monday issued directions to beef up security in the State's jails besides accelerating welfare activities to channelise the energies of jail inmates. The directions were issued by the State Jails Minister Sohan Singh Thandal while reviewing the working of the jails department.
"Security arrangement in jails must be beefed up in consonance with changing conditions and the use of modern gadgetry must be ensured to check the inflow of drugs and ammunition into the jails," said Thandal.
Thandal also issued special directives to the jail staff to make proper use of X-ray machines, metal detectors, CCTV cameras and jammers to check the suspicious and illegal material into the jails besides proper frisking of the visitors.
He said that the jail department has recently deputed sniffer dogs in central jails of the State. "The services of these specialised and trained officers (dogs) must be availed at any other jail to check the inflow of drugs and ammunition into jail premises," he added.
The directions came days after inmates fired gunshots in Bathinda jail. The infamous Bathinda jail incident was also discussed at length during the meeting. "Jails are being considered State within State and the security breach in jails cannot be tolerated. Bathinda jail incident is intolerable and inexcusable, and such kind of incident should not happen in future," he said. Thandal admitted that this incident has earned bad name for the jail department and this could have been averted with fool proof security check up.
During the review of drug de-addiction activities, Thandal appreciated the Jail staff for making all out efforts in checking the drug inflow into the jails considerably. Till date, total 27,000 jail inmates have successfully been treated in the Drug de-addiction centres in the jails. The Minister instructed the jail superintendents to maintain proper liaison with the local police as well to track the activities of the prisoner going out on parole. "The coordination with the local police could also be very useful in conducting surveillance operations and patrolling of the outer walls of the jails," he said.