4 mobiles seized from jail

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 19

There is no let-up in seizures of mobile phones and other prohibited material from inside the high security Amritsar Central Jail complex. The jail authorities have confiscated four mobile phones besides 25 cigarettes from the high security jail premises here on Thursday. In all, 140 cell phones were seized this year from the jail complex.

As per latest details, during surprise checking, the jail authorities recovered three mobile phones which were abandoned while a cell phone was recovered from a jail inmate, identified as Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, of Bhaini Rajputa village. Two of these mobile phones were smart phones with internet facility. Similarly, another jail inmate, identified as Bharat, was found possessing 25 cigarettes.

Investigations carried out in the previous mobile seizures revealed that mobiles are sold in the jail premises at a price. A smart phone is sold anything between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. While, the inmates tried to sneak in mobile by hiding in their private parts, the black sheep take from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for slipping in the same, sources in the jail told.

During this year, the jail authorities nabbed two jail warders, Gurcharan Singh and Harpreet Singh, under similar offence. The jail authorities have written for their dismissal from the department.

Sources added that when the situation is tight, the prices of mobile could go up to Rs 40,000. Similar is the case with cigarettes and bidis they are sold at Rs 300 per piece.

Security and intelligence agencies had expressed concern as it was dangerous for the national security too. The central jail also houses foreign nationals, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. Many notorious smugglers were also found to be using mobiles to run their network. During investigation of narco-terror module using drone for smuggling drugs earlier this year, the Amritsar rural police had nabbed two jail inmates who were operating through mobile.

Arshdeep Singh, Jail Superintendent, said stringent measures were taken against the black sheep nabbed red handed and steps were being taken to stop sneaking cell phones into the jail.