All jails in Punjab to be under CCTV, drone surveillance: Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Following the murder of main accused in the Bargari sacrilege case in Nabha jail and rioting in Ludhiana Central Jail, the Punjab government has decided to beef up security in all prisons across the state by equipping these with CCTV cameras and drones.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh announced a slew of measures to strengthen jail security during a meeting held to review the prison security system. It has also been decided to send Punjab Police intelligence officials on deputation to the jails department to assist the staff in collecting intelligence that might be vital to ensuring fool-proof security in jails.
Amarinder also asked the jails department to formulate a comprehensive strategy to segregate undertrial gangsters and radicals from other prisoners by shifting them out to other jails outside the state. The proposal was aimed at preventing radicalisation and planning of terrorist/gangster/criminal activities from the prison premises.
The chief minister instructed deputy commissioners (DCs) to visit prisons in their respective districts once a month to ensure proper monitoring of the security arrangements and welfare measures. The DCs have been asked to make personal inspections to identify gaps and ensure that the same were plugged without delay. The CM also issued instructions for filling up of all 700 vacant posts of wardens.
He also directed making physical tests and minimum criteria of physique mandatory for recruitment of wardens, in place of the existing practice of holding only written tests for them.
Amarinder also instructed the jails department to review the prisons manual and make suitable amendments to make parole difficult for prisoners found to be creating problems during their stay in jails.
Citing the approval given by Union home minister Amit Shah during their recent meeting for deputing four companies of the CRPF in exchange of IRB, the chief minister ordered modalities for the same to be worked out at the earliest. He directed that the CRPF companies be posted on jail duty as soon as possible.
Taking cognizance of complaints about involvement of staff in smuggling of mobile phones and other things into the prisons, the chief minister ordered that all personnel deployed at jails be scrutinised. He also accorded approval to the jails department’s proposal for setting up a new prison in Mohali to ease congestion and pressure.