The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Inside information proves to be vital in solving crime Law & order

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Saturday, Nov 28, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Inside information proves to be vital in solving crime Law & order

Police admit that many prisoners possess mobile phones or SIM cards, reports
L. Srikrishna

Despite periodic search operations conducted inside prisons and subsequent claims of seizure of objects including cell phones, SIM cards and narcotics, a majority of the inmates possessed mobile phones or at least SIM cards, admit police.

Questions like — how could be it possible to smuggle the phones inside the jail; was there a clandestine deal with the jail staffers; why not the prison administration install jammers; and why not instruct its staffers not to carry mobile phones inside the prison campus on the lines of restrictions imposed on visitors, among other queries, may arise. The answer is: It is happening with the knowledge of some erring staffers, a senior police officer in Madurai city police said.

Recently, the city police registered a waylaying case in which a two-wheeler rider was attacked and Rs, 26.54 lakh in cash taken away from him by a three-member gang. Thilagar Thidal police registered a case of waylaying and cheating. The money is unaccounted is a different story. But the police investigations zeroed in on a few suspects who are cooling their heels inside the prisons. A member of the police team said that he dialled a mobile number and spoke to an inmate inside the prison. The “leads” provided by the prisoner led to the detection of the case to a great extent. It was found that a gang member had bought from robbed money a car in Chennai and gifted it to his concubine. Soon, the case is likely to be solved and he attributed to the “inputs” from the prison inmate as “vital.” Another police officer said that though they had recommended to install jammers, the prison administration had not implemented it.

Prison sources said that they have been keeping strict vigil. All the visitors were thoroughly checked and allowed. Any item other than fruits was not permitted. Recently, even bananas, are scanned to prevent smuggling of SIM card hidden inside the fruit.

Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) K.R. Shyamsundar had taken a series of steps to streamline the functioning of prisons. As a first step, erring officers across the State were to be taken to task, sources added.

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