52 mobile phones, SIM cards seized in two-day raids at Parappana Agrahara prison

Bengaluru:

Bengaluru Shortly after the recent raids at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison Complex that led to the seizure of nearly 20 mobile phones last week, fresh surprise inspections on Wednesday and Thursday, led to the seizure of another 52 mobile phones, 38 SIM cards and several other banned items, including cash, from various barracks.

This comes close on the heels of irregularities inside the prison complex going viral, forcing Home Minister to form a high-powered committee to review the functioning, administration, and security of prisons across Karnataka, led by Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) R. Hitendra on November 11. The committee has begun its probe.

Multiple prison officials were also suspended over the alleged irregularities inside the prison and new leadership has taken charge. Ever since then, there have been multiple raids inside the prison by the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services. Most of the earlier raids in the prison that led to seizure of banned items were carried out by the city police.

Prison Superintendent Parameshwar H.S. lodged a complaint with the jurisdictional Parappana Agrahara Police seeking a probe into the source of banned items seized this week.

According to the complaint, a surprise inspection conducted since Wednesday at different barracks found a total of 52 mobile phones, 38 SIM cards, chargers, ear phones and other banned items, including sharp knife-like objects and cash.

This is his third complaint. Earlier the prison officials filed two FIRs back to back with the same police after recovering four mobile phones and 15 mobile phones in two different raids, last week.

This recovery not only reveals the lack of security checks but also makes a mockery of the high-end jammers installed in the prison to contain the mobile menace inside the prison, which is having an adverse affect on the residents staying around the central prison.

The mobile phones indicate lapses in the multi-layered security cover and posing challenges to the law and order situation in and around the city, a senior official said.