Security along the outer periphery of the Madurai central prison has come under review following the October-5 incident in which a foreign national was shot dead by a security guard on “suspicion.”

Warnakulasooriya Canicius Fernando (44), a fishermen trade union representative of Negombo in Sri Lanka, was shot by an armed outer security guard after he allegedly walked into the sterile zone and refused to answer questions. An enquiry by a Revenue Divisional Officer has been ordered into the incident. The Sri Lankan had come to see four of his country fishermen lodged in the prison where they were serving a four-month sentence.

While the inner security of the prison is covered by a closed circuit television network, there is no constant vigil along the periphery but for the four watchtowers. The city police are now contemplating setting up round-the-clock surveillance mechanism by installing a speed-dome camera along the exterior security layer. Armed guards drawn from the Tamil Nadu Special Police and Armed Reserve have been deployed at the main entrance and other vulnerable places.

“We have proposed to erect four more watchtowers around the prison for enhanced vigil. The prison also houses high security block where members of banned organisations are lodged. In the three-tier security system, the city police would screen visitors at the first gate,” a police official said.

Jail authorities have deployed more personnel in front of the main entrance to streamline movement of visitors. “Though there is a separate block for visitors manned by jail warders and channel for meeting inmates, some unwittingly venture into the sterile zone. The firing incident, however, should be seen in isolation,” he added.

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