Colvale jail ‘bhang’ incident result of systemic lapses

PANAJI: A magisterial inquiry into the ‘bhang’ incident that occurred at the Central Jail at Colvale in February has revealed that the incident happened as a result of systemic lapses. Sources said that the inquiry has pointed out several lacunae in security, management, electronic surveillance and other aspects.

The inquiry has recommended using services of a central police organisation to man the outer cordon of the jail which includes frisking of those entering the jail. The outer cordon is presently looked after by the Goa police (IRBn). The inquiry has, however, ruled out sabotage angle into the incident.

According to sources, the inquiry has revealed that there are few closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras but no provision to store data (footage) of even a single day. The reason given for this is that the Crime Branch police had attached the digital video recorder in connection with the murder case of Ashpaq Bengre in July 2016.

Surprised checks/raids are to be conducted by jail officials in the jail cells at least in a month. However, it appears that for several months, no such checks or raids have been carried out, informed sources referring to the findings of the inquiry. To ensure no prohibited articles are brought inside the jail, there has to be proper frisking done of those entering the jail and the task should be handed over to a central police organisation, the magisterial inquiry has recommended.The inquiry has ruled out sabotage angle into the ‘bhang’ incident. The suspected ‘bhang’ was mixed in the milk procured from the jail in the morning and some of the inmates had consumed it at that particular time, the inquiry has revealed. However, it appears that those who consumed it later in the evening were affected by it, sources said.

It may be recalled that the state government had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the February incident that occurred in the Central Jail at Colvale on the occasion of Mahashivaratri wherein two prisoners fell ill after they were said to have consumed milk laced with suspected ‘bhang.’

According to information, the Additional Collector-I (North) conducted an inquiry into the incident and submitted the report to the home department.

Earlier, an inquiry conducted by the Superintendent, Central Jail, Colvale, was said to be not upto the mark and failed to ascertain the exact cause of spiking of the milk which had threatened the lives of the inmates. As such, the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry.