Ghaghidih Central Jail, where 1,500 convicts and undertrials including 20-odd hardcore Maoists are currently lodged, is all set to shore up its surveillance mechanism.
The state home department has asked the authorities at the high-security prison to install 150 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, in addition to the existing 22, to cover every nook and corner of the 13-acre premises in suburban Parsudih, on the outskirts of Jamshedpur.
The primary objective, admitted jailer Mohammed Nasim, was to ensure that the central prison didn't make headlines for the wrong reasons like in the past.
"At present, our main gate, administrative building and ward gates are under CCTV vigil. But, the home department, in a communiqué sent on May 3, has asked for coverage beyond such strategic locations. So, the new cameras will cover ward corridors, individual cells (wherever necessary) and the entire periphery, among others," jailer Nasim told this newspaper on Tuesday.
The jailer said a team having expertise in installing surveillance systems would visit Ghaghidih towards the end of May and conduct a preparatory survey. "The team will identify new spots to be covered extensively. The home department is keen on getting the project implemented as early as possible," he added.
While Ghaghidih has witnessed a jailbreak in recent memory, violence within its porous premises has been routine. On March 20, 2009, gangster Paramjeet Singh was shot dead in the jail by members of a rival outfit led by don Akhilesh Singh. Soon thereafter, Paramjeet's men had lynched Akhilesh's aide Pramod Singh Gautam and inflicted serious injuries on another inmate. Clashes are not infrequent even now.
The central jail is overburdened at present because its actual capacity is 1,447. Also, manpower crunch is a perennial poser. Against a sanctioned guard strength of 192, the jail has only 71 to keep an eye on its 1,500-odd inmates from six watchtowers. Machine vigil comprises the 22 CCTV cameras and only three 2G jammers in this age of 4G smartphones.
A source among jail staff said the watchtowers were scarcely manned while 2G jammers were redundant because they couldn't prevent high-end phone signals. Hence, installing more cameras is the only viable option the prison authorities have.
Can extra cameras prevent clashes at Ghaghidih jail?
Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
