Hindalga residents fear worsening network outage as jail plans to strengthen jammers

Belagavi: Residents of Hindalga and nearby villages have been struggling with poor mobile and internet connectivity for over a year, due to high-frequency 5G jammers installed at the Hindalga Central Jail to prevent the illegal use of mobile phones by inmates. The situation triggered fresh concern after prisons department DGP Alok Kumar on Tuesday indicated that the jammer frequency might be increased further. Mobile networks within a 3 to 4 km radius of the jail were severely affected since the jammers were installed in Feb last year. Residents of Hindalga, Vijayanagar, Ganeshpur and Benakanahalli said the disruption impacted daily life, banking, online services and govt work. Despite repeated complaints, memorandums and even a rasta roko protest, no relief was given to the locals. Their key demand was to reduce the frequency of the jammer.
However, Alok Kumar's statement has heightened anxiety in the area. During his visit to the jail, he said connectivity was still available inside the prison despite the jammers, particularly on the Airtel network, and steps were being considered to address the issue. When asked about the impact on surrounding villages, senior officials said there was no immediate solution. "The only solution is shifting the central jail to another location," an official said, which meant the relocation was not possible in the near future. Local activist Ravikumar Kokitkar said the problem persisted for more than a year without any improvement. "Many residents have stopped using BSNL and Jio altogether. If the frequency is increased further, it will affect govt offices, gram panchayats, banks and online services. We will hold a village meeting soon, to decide the next course of action," he said. Earlier, the jail operated 2G jammers that caused minimal interference beyond the prison premises. The system was upgraded to high-frequency 5G jammers after inmate Jayesh Pujari allegedly used a phone from inside the jail to threaten Union minister Nitin Gadkari and demand ransom. Residents said repeated assurances, including from Belagavi Rural MLA and Women and Child Welfare minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, so far failed to resolve the issue.