Patna, Jan. 13: In a bid to stop the practice of imprisoned ganglords’ associates meeting them in jail in the guise of relatives, the prison department has decided to take photographs and fingerprints of every visitor to the state jails.

The photographs and thumb impression of the visitors would be kept in record of the prisons. Earlier, only identity proof of the visitors was mandatory to meet the jail inmates.

The decision assumes significance in the wake of escape of notorious criminals from the judicial custody and strategies for sensational crime chalked out inside the prison.

Inspector-general (prisons) Anand Kishore told The Telegraph that gizmos for taking photographs and fingerprints of the visitors would be provided to all the prisons in the state soon. The gadgets would be connected with computers installed inside the jail, he said.

Kishore said the photographs and fingerprints would help the police in investigating important criminal cases. “The record will help the police establish links of the jail inmates (read gang lords) with those committing crime outside the four walls of the prison,” he added.

There have been instances when gang lords chalked out the strategy of sensational murders and other serious offences inside the prison and their henchmen executed the plans. Even extortion calls were made to some businessmen from behind the bars.

The prison department has also decided to computerise the prison manual system and the visitors’ manual system this fiscal. The pilot project would be launched from Phulwari Sharif jail in Patna.

Under the scheme, all information about the prisoners, both convicted and undertrials, would be available on the website of the department. Similarly, the records of the jail would be updated from time to time.

The information regarding the visitors would also be uploaded to make it easy for state’s investigating agency to keep a close tab on the activities of the members of criminal gangs operating in Bihar.

The National Informatics Centre has been assigned the project. The government has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for the purpose.

At present, all the records in 55 jails, including eight central and 33 district jails, are maintained manually. Around 29,000 prisoners, including 5,309 convicts, are lodged in different jails of the state.

“We hope to complete the computerisation work during the current financial year,” the IG (prisons) said.