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Kerala: Prisoners have a field day

Two police escort would be provided for a detainee, and the high-security prisoner will have more.

KOZHIKODE: Chandra Bose murder convict Mohammed Nisham allegedly using mobile phone has once again shed light on the issue of prisoners enjoying grandeur life both inside and outside. Sources say unless fundamental matters such as the drastic shortage of jail staff are addressed, nothing is going to change. “If a raid is conducted in Kannur Central Prison today, you will get at least 200 mobile phones. That is the condition. Besides the acute staff shortage, many of the prisoners are influential enough to call a minister from jail,” said a former superintendent of Kannur jail on condition of anonymity.

He feels the political system never wants to improve the situation in prison as it would affect the rich lifestyle of their remand prisoners. “No official wants to play wi-th life. If unheeded, minimum revenge will be a suspension,” he said. Prisoners make a field day while being taken out. Two police escort would be provided for a detainee, and the high-security prisoner will have more. KSRTC bus or train will be the mode of travel, and the influential prisoner would have informed the complete details of the journey to his friends or relatives through his lawyer.

The relatives will ‘reserve’ the nearest seat on the bus or train with the connivance of escorting police. This was the time the prisoner will have a free chat, time to hand over mobile phones, narcotic substances, etc. “The relatives will bear all the expense of the escorting police besides giving bribe,” the former Jail staff said. He recalled that there were instances of Ganja thrown in over the prison wall. Jail DIG (North Zone) Shivadas Thaiparambil said only two policemen from Kannur AR camp escorted Nisham on October 20 to Bangalore. Jail IG H. Gopakumar who is probing the incident visited Kannur jail on Sunday.

Three escorting cops suspended
Kannur: District police chief Sanjay Kumar Gurudin on Sunday suspended three police personnel of Kannur AR camp who allegedly connived with murder convict Mohammed Nisham to make phone calls in transit. Nisham used mobile phones while being taken to court in Bangalore on October 20 in a KSRTC bus. The suspended are senior civil police officer Ajith Kumar and civil police officers Vineesh and Ratheesh. The disciplinary action followed after an inquiry by DYSP special branch found that Nisham made calls while in police custody. The suspended policemen explained that he would have made calls while they were asleep.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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