Goa jails to introduce mobile jammers, reforms

Panaji, Jun 19 (UNI) South Goa district collector, who is also IGP (prisons), today announced that the administration would install ''mobile jammers'' in all the prisons to prevent inmates from using mobile phones in their cells.

The announcement was made following a stunning disclosure by Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Manohar Parrikar that he often used to receive calls from three prisoners asking him the status of their cases.

''It is a surprise to me as to how the prisoners have got the mobile phones inside the prison and dared to ring me up,'' Mr Parrikar asked the officers at a meeting of the legislative assembly's ad hoc committee on Home, held today.

Mr Parrikar directed the authorities to keep a tab on the guards and constables, who often pass on their mobile phones to prisoners for a consideration.

He also said he got complaints that some prisoners were seen moving about in the open. There could be surrogate prisoners like in Bihar, he alleged.

One of the prisoners, he said, was seen moving about freely, though he was supposed to be serving a jail term. Another prisoner was said to be a 'matka' (gambling) king operating from the prison environs.

Reacting to representations from the public, the IGP said the prison administration was committed to the welfare and reform of the prisoners, and was glad to take the services of social welfare organisations in this regard.

Besides introducing various crafts for training the prisoners, the jail administration would consider posting a full time residential doctor and a nurse, he added.

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