Seems incredible indeed that in our State, even a jail could be raided to ascertain the levels of irregularities in following the jail manual, rules, procedures and unwritten high traditions. That high “security” Srinagar Jail could be allowing mobile phones, Jihadi fanatic literature, data, hardware and even a Pakistani flag comments upon the level of the effectiveness and the writ of its management from within and even from higher authorities.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the Central Jail in Srinagar on March 12 and seized 24 mobile phones, incriminating and anti national literature, a Pakistani flag plus other undesirable material from the jail precincts. It seems that the jail administration allowed so much unauthorized laxity that it implicitly bit more than it could chew hence a raid by the Central probe agency. The barracks and even the open ground were subjected to searches that housed some of the most wanted terrorists including those from Pakistan.
The fact of the matter being that the arrest of two persons in Kupwara Danish Ghulam Lone and Sohail Ahmed Bhat revealed that fresh recruits of Al- Badr outfit were being sent across to Pakistan for arms training. The two had further disclosed that the conspiracy was being hatched from inside the Central Jail, Srinagar. Hence searches were conducted and drones kept a close watch on the entire operation. The Agency is investigating the escape of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) Commander, Mohammad Naveed Jutt from SMHS Hospital Srinagar on Feb6 this year.
The recoveries have put a question mark on the security of the Central Jail which had its reputation of an able and assertive administration. The authorities must take steps to revamp both the jail as well as the administrative set up to enable it live up to its name. Meanwhile, responsibilities and accountabilities must be pin pointed and fixed for such a security lapse.
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