Concerned over rising cases of prisoners using cell phones and other incidents of security lapses, the Ghaghidih Central Jail will finally be equipped with CCTV cameras. The idea behind is to turn the jail premises into a more secured place for prisoners and the undertrials. The hi-tech gadgets will be installed at 35 points.
Inspector general (Prison) Ashok Kumar Sharma said that the CCTV cameras are being installed as following a survey of the jails across the State conducted last month they found that illegal activities are still on in several jails, including the Ghaghidih Central Jail.
It is an ambitious project and the job of installing CCTV cameras at the Ghaghidih Central Jail has been entrusted with the HCl Infotech limited. The prison authority has sanctioned Rs 1.46 crores for this project. Of this amount Rs 58 lakh has been earmarked for the Ghaghidih Central Jail," Sharma said.
Notably, the Ghaghidih Central Jail is spread over an area of 20 acres -- set up on as large an area as Birsa Munda Central Jail in Hotwar, Ranchi.
The district administration too increased strict vigil at Ghagidih jail after police seized sophisticated mobile phones and other suspected documents during a recent search operation. The team frisked both remand prisoners and convicts lodged in separate blocks. They also checked more than 300 police personnel deployed in the complex for over two hours and the search operations was conducted using sniffer dogs and bomb detector.
It may be recalled that the officials found the mobile phone wrapped in a plastic sheet and buried under ground. The officials found the rear side of the instrument had an in-built solar panel and it could be charged even as it was being used.
Sources went on to inform that concerned over the situation at the jail the administration has plans to step up vigilance and deploy additional security forces. "We are going to equip these three jails on priority basis as the security concern in these jails is comparatively greater than other jails in the state. In the second phase we will bring more jails under the cover of CCTV," said the IG (Prison).
At present the Ghaghidih Central Jail, which has a capacity of 1,450 inmates is occupied with over 1,200 inmates lodged who are lodged in 13 wards. An official of Ghaghidih Central Jail said that they had sent a proposal to the IG (Prison) having identified 35 points where the CCTV cameras have to be installed.
According to information the administration is looking for an alternative to the jammers for blocking the telecom signals between the jail inmates and outside world. The department is serious about installing the devices at the back of feedback from jail staff suggesting that convicts and undertrials take advantage of the absence of a foolproof system for blocking mobile phone signals.