Insider role in 40% cases of drug supply in jails: Report

PATIALA: A report prepared by Patiala range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) says that 40% of the total drugs smuggled inside jails are supplied through various officials of the department.
"Most potent route of drugs' supply inside prison is through personnel like warders, head warders, vocational instructors (who provide industrial and vocational training to convicts of jail factory) and lower level prison officials like sub assistant superintendent and assistant superintendent," says the report prepared by DIG L K Yadav.
Sometimes, higher officials like superintendent jail and deputy superintendent jail are also involved and they facilitate the supply route by removing the honest personnel from entrance gate or search post.
The report was prepared after conducting thorough investigations of hundreds of NDPS cases and collecting information from other sources from jails of Patiala, Nabha, Sangrur, Barnala and Malerkotla areas. It mentions some other routes also through which drugs are supplied in jails. These include transport workers, civil hospital, over the boundary wall, visitor room, during examination of prisoners and court room among others.
"It's a confirmed fact. But now, since a DIG rank officer has confirmed the involvement of jail staff, the state government must take action. The government should fix tenure of every jail official and transfer him after fixed tenure to break the official-inmates nexus" said a senior information bureau officer.
Interestingly, despite the tall claims of Punjab government to provide the required staff, shortage of women staffers has been contributing to increased supply of drugs inside jails.
"Many times, women prisoners conceal drugs in their bra and panties as they are aware that due to lack of women constables, no one will conduct a thorough search," says the report.
Claiming that required steps are being taken to prevent supply of drugs inside of jails, Yadav said, "After preparing the report, we have been thoroughly checking all possible entry routes of drugs inside jails."