Jail mates to have telephone access in K'taka

Mangalore, Mar 14: Jailmates in Karnataka will soon have telephone access to have contact with outside world.

To begin with Telephone booths, with STD facility, would be installed in Bangalore Central Jail at a cost of Rs 2.39 lakh.

However, the facility comes with strict supervision by the authorities, Additional Director General of Police (Prison) S T Ramesh told newsmen here yesterday.

He said that the prisoners, both convicted and undertrials, would be provided with telephone cards to speak to their near and dear ones during specific hours.

The Department would evolve guidelines to regulate and monitor the use of telephones by the inmates and all conversations would be recorded for safety purpose.

Replying to a question, he said that to ensure well being of the prisoners and to overcome their psychological problems and to prevent prisoners from taking to suicide ''Psychological well-being Committee '' would be set up in all the 98 jails in the State. The Committee would be headed by Jail Superintendent of respective Jails. Medical Officer would be the member Secretary of the Committee which would have Social workers and psychiatrists to adopt multi-pronged approach to redress psychological problems and ensure well being of the prisoners, he added.

To another question, Mr Ramesh ruled out shifting of Mangalore Central Jail to the outskirts. However, the present jail would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 7.5 Crore.

UNI