On the one hand, being known as “high security jail” but on the other , there being a network run by Pakistani and Kashmiri militants inside Kot Bhalwal Jail raises several questions on the overall management of this jail. Prudence warrants that looking to the terror acts unabatedly going on even in Jammu division in the shape of arms dropping by using unmanned Drone flying machines and more of such machines being sighted intermittently in Jammu division but chased out and smuggling in explosives, ammunition by different modes, all sponsored by Pakistan, there should have been austere and very strict security audit of the jail almost at least on weekly basis to ascertain the status thereof and to plug loopholes and address areas of weaknesses in the security scenario, but there appears to be a ”free for all ” going on from inside by the militants lodged in this jail who have been found operating a well organised network to communicate and receive communications. As many as 18 mobile telephones 3 SIM cards, blue tooth devices, chargers, earphones, accessories, etc having been seized by intelligence agencies who had obtained search warrants from the NIA Court , can be termed nothing except total connivance of some insiders from the jail staff manning barracks and other vital aspects of the jail in the absence of which operating of the network on such a scale would simply be not only impossible but beyond thinking on any such lines .
On close scrutiny of the seized items, there were many Smart Phones having Social Media and all other Applications all used by the militants and even other detenues to stay in touch with their mentors, associates and others. A cause of concern is that all the seized phones were in working condition and were kept by the militants in the barracks just to avoid direct seizure and involvement with proof and beyond any doubt . This must have ostensibly been all done just in the nick of getting a whiff about the raids by the Intelligence agencies the moment they had started the searching process in the jail premises. Since the matter being of sensitive nature and likely to be investigated thoroughly during which more beans could be spilled to know precisely if the network had all the blessings and active support from some members on the jail staff, how long this network had been active and in operation too could get ascertained . To set an example , accountability must be fixed and disloyal jail staff members should be severely dealt with. Militancy and any matter related thereto assumes sensitivity and clamours for a suitable line of action to combat it which means at no stage or at no point should there be any laxity , innocently committed or deliberately pursued. In the instant case, it is learnt that the data retrieved from the seized phones etc have given to the intelligence agencies very vital clues .
It is only after lot of spade work, intelligence inputs , encounters, braving attacks and facing other difficulties , even suffering casualties ,that the security forces nab militants especially the ones hailing from Pakistan during search operations and in encounters and then they are put in jails. Therefore, it becomes an abundant duty of the jail staff to keep the watch, vigil and the guard of impregnable levels in respect of such prisoners and for that matter, even for every prisoner according to Jail manual and following other instructions from the concerned authorities from time to time. Mobile phones need regular charging and how can it be believed that at no occasion was the charging of mobile phones seen and watched by the jail staff without taking any action. Let the instant breach in security in the said prison be the last one while the need to have security audits of jails at regular intervals but without prior information becomes paramount to pre-empt any type of smuggling in of any item , accessory, article etc not permitted under rules , especially an aid that connects the detenue with one’s associates of whichever nature.
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