A policeman destroys some of the seized items from prisoners of Choudwar jail on Saturday and (below) the seized cash and gold ornaments. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, March 22: Gold chains and narcotics, apart from gutka and energy drinks, were seized during a raid inside Choudwar jail today.

The crackdown followed reports that threat calls were being made from the jail.

During the early morning raid, led by Cuttack deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Arora, the policemen seized gold chains weighing nearly 158 grams worth nearly Rs 5 lakh from an undertrial prisoner, Sudhakar Behera, an associate of gangster Tito.

Cash worth Rs 12,500, 50gms of ganja, 23 packets of Tropicana juice, 31 packets of an energy drinks, 466 packs of gutkha, 21 packets of cigarettes, 321 packets of bidi, 15 shaving razors, four scissors and five packets of playing cards were recovered from the jail wards and cells.

Around 700 prisoners, including 350 undertrials, are lodged in Choudwar jail. The jail authorities were not available for comments. A senior police official said the raid was videographed and the seized items would be destroyed, according to the jail manual.

Though no mobile phone or sim cards were seized during the raid, it is suspected that the criminals are frequently using cell phones to make calls as the mobile jammer at the jail has not been functioning for the past one-and-a-half years.

The police also recovered four pocket diaries and small chits of paper containing mobile phone numbers. Besides, an identity card of a college student has also been recovered during the raid.

“We suspect that outsiders are frequently sending mobile phone numbers to the gangsters lodged in the jail. Our investigation is going on. The role of jail employees has also come under scanner. We will apprise higher officials,” said commissioner of police R.P. Sharma.

The crackdown was launched following specific intelligence reports that extortion threat calls had been made from Choudwar jail. Sources said two city-based businessmen had sought police assistance following the threat calls.

“After continuous mobile tracking, it was found that the calls were made from the jail, and acting on such intelligence inputs, the raid was conducted today,” said Sharma.