Though down with acute staff crunch and dearth of the required infrastructure, the security staff of Pursari jail in Chamoli are doubly alert in the wake two convicts of the infamous Madhumita Shukla murder case and the jailer having had a brawl a few days ago.
The jail has no CCTV camera nor has a regular superintendent to man things. The lower rung officials alone look after the security of the jail where some notorious criminals are being lodged.
However, BP Pandey, superintendent of jail (directorate), was sent on Thursday for Chamoli to review the security status of the jail. He would submit a report soon, said IG (jail) PVK Prasad. He claimed that things in the jail premises were normal.
Pandey inspected the Chamoli jail campus and gave the officials necessary instruction to strengthen security. Sources said that Pandey warned the inmates that they would face the consequences if they misbehave with the jail officials in future.
Two convicts — Santosh Rai and Waseem Kalia — both serving life- term for their involvement in the Madhumita murder case, had a violent altercation with the jailer, Karmraj Chauhan. Sources said things had started after the duo had refused to go to the barrack after the jailer had told them to do so. However, another source said that the duo had manhandled the jailor when they were talking on the matter of using mobile phones while in jail.
Observers say such things would recur unless the right infrastructure is put in place. “The inmates are taking full advantage of the dearth of security infrastructure,” one of them said.
A jail official had earlier said that though they had sought 36 CCTV cameras for Chamoli jail from the State Government nothing has happened so far. “We are grappling with a grim situation. The dreaded convicts are here and we have not the bare minimum in terms of security,” he added.
Another official stated that the junior jail officers of the rank of deputy jailors or head wardens are running the jails in Chamoli and other districts like Tehri and Pauri.
These officers have to report to the SDM concerned on a daily basis as regards budget and other decisions. It means that things are being left to the charge of junior jail officials like warden or head warden for five to six hours daily, leaving the jails highly vulnerable. “What happened on Wednesday is inevitable. We are scared too,” the jail officer added.