Overburdened Tihar gets CCTVs, jammers

With prison riots and terrorist attacks posing a real-time threat to the security, Tihar jail authorities have decided to install mobile jammers and close circuit televisions inside the sprawling complex.

Asia's largest jail, which is bursting at its seems with a population of nearly 12,500 inmates -- far exceeding the capacity of 5,000, is having a tough time maintaining security given the burgeoning number of prisoners.

"We will install CCTVs in all the jails by the end of May. We are also planning to set up mobile jammers, though we are yet to get the permission from the Cabinet Secretariat," Director General (Prisons) B K Gupta said on Wednesday.

The jail authorities have already installed bio-metric photograph and finger print identification system, multi zonal door frame metal detectors and high capacity X-ray scanners to tighten the access control measures.

With several hardcore criminals, gangsters and terrorists lodged in the prison complex, the jail authorities are taking special measures to avert clashes, a common feature in such facilities in several countries.

"We have segregated high-security prisoners, hardcore criminals and bullies so that their movement can be minimised. We are also ensuring that rival groups are not kept in the same jail to prevent riots," he said.

The arduous task of ferrying hundreds of prisoners lodged in jail to courts in the capital for extending their remand periods will soon end as well with the introduction of the videoconferencing facility. Though the facility, the prison will be connected with Tis Hazari, Rohini, Karkardooma and Patiala House courts.

Tihar has around 170 high-security prisoners, including ten persons on the death row like Parliament attack convict Mohd Afzal, while around 450 inmates are lodged in the Special Security Ward.

"Some 600 to 700 prisoners are potential troublemakers and we are keeping a close watch on them. Besides, three quick reaction teams of ITBP and Tamil Nadu police armed with semi- automatic weapons are patrolling round the clock," Gupta said.

Another problem worrying the prison administration is smuggling of prohibited products tobacco and drugs into the complex, many a time with the active help of security guards and jail officials.

Last year, six officials were dismissed from service and two were removed after they were found facilitating entry of the banned products.

"The conduct of many jail officials is not good," he said, adding, "We were not able to check the entry of tobacco and drugs completely but there has been a decline in smuggling." Gupta, however, went on to say that tobacco was not a prohibited item and that some jails in the country were allowing such products.

"What we want to strictly prevent is the entry of mobile phones," he added. Tihar is also planning to set up more Test Identification Parade rooms, a model of which functions in a jail now, and construct more visitor halls besides improving the sanitation system, the officer said.

The new Test Identification Parade rooms will ensure that the witness does not come face to face with the accused. Around 12,500 prisoners, around 80 per cent of them under trials, are presently lodged in Tihar jail. The inmates include about 400 foreign nationals, most of them Asians, from 30 countries.