MHA writes to J&K, other States/UTs
Ensure jamming solutions to curb use of mobile phones
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 3: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to Jammu and Kashmir as well as all other States and Union Territories besides the Prison authorities to take strong measures to prevent jails from becoming breeding ground for anti-national activities.
Though there has been no specific mention of Jammu and Kashmir where authorities had carried out special drives and recovered large number of mobile telephones, SIM cards and other incriminating material and also detected that some of the militants were in regular touch with their outside contacts, sources said the focus is more on J&K where number of Pakistani and local militants and their harbourers have been lodged in different jails.
To segregate the militants and hardcore criminals, the Jammu and Kashmir Government had recently taken very significant decision to shift detenues to outside jails including Haryana, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh etc.
An order issued by the MHA called for conducting regular inspection of prisons, strengthening security arrangements and implementing effective administration to ensure that the jails are not misused to become breeding ground for anti-national activities.
The MHA has addressed its communiqué to Additional Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries Home Department, Director Generals of Police and DGP/IGP Prisons of all States and Union Territories.
The MHA has ordered restrictions on unnecessary movement of jail staff in and out of the jail. For the purpose, a proper entry and exit registers of jail staff should be maintained, it said.
It may be mentioned that Intelligence agencies were of the view that it was very difficult to smuggle mobile telephones, SIM cards and other materials found in possession of the militants and hardcore criminals, without connivance of the jail staff.
The order called for ensuring effective jamming solutions with the use of modern-day advances in technology to restrict use of mobile phones by inmates. It also suggested that first time offenders and repeat offenders should be segregated and housed in separate wards or prison complexes with a view to ensure that habitual offenders are not able to negatively influence the first time offenders.
The MHA order said the administration should ensure that the jail inmates are motivated to leave the life of crime and become responsible citizens of the nation. It has also asked the States/UTs to expedite various measures for strengthening the prison administration and ensuring the security.
As number of prisoners have to be taken to hospitals frequently for treatment due to ailments, the MHA has suggested that medical facilities should be strengthened in the jails to avoid frequent movement of prisoners outside (which gives them an opportunity to interact with undesirable elements).
“Assessment of inmates by Psychologists and Correctional Experts may be done wherever necessary for studying the stress and behavioural issues of inmates and appropriate programs may be prescribed for them,” the order read.
It stressed the need for training of prison and correctional staff pointing out that they play a significant role in the efficient management of prisons.
To discourage complacency and corrupt practices in prisons, the MHA has emphasized that prison staff may be rotated on a regular basis. “Inter-Jail (and not Intra-Jail) transfer of Staff should be considered after every two years,” the order said.
It pointed out that the jail structure and periphery wall of all jails should be inspected, and to the extent possible, “it may be ensured that the distance between the outer wall and wall of the jail ward or complex is designed in such a manner that incidents of throwing contraband items from outside the jail is not possible”.
Govt to monitor hawala, terror funding: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said the Government will soon be developing a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, terrorist activities among others.
He said the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a zero tolerance policy against terrorism from the very first day.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) Bengaluru premises today.
“The Union Government will soon be developing a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, counterfeit currency, narcotics, bomb threats, illegal arms smuggling and other terrorist activities,” Shah said.
He said intelligence and legal agencies should now be able to make full use of them with the barriers to critical data being removed.
“Earlier only two nations, the United States of America and Israel, used to retaliate whenever someone meddled with their borders and military. Now due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our great nation India has joined that group,” Shah said after inaugurating various projects including the Nrupathunga University, its academic block and various other projects in Bengaluru.
After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, terrorist attacks took place in Uri in 2016 and Pulwama in 2019, we carried out surgical strikes and air strikes within 10 days inside Pakistan, Shah told the crowd.
“Some people question how it (surgical strike and air strike) had any effect. I tell them that it (counter attack) has a huge impact. Now the entire world knows that no one can meddle with Indian border, otherwise befitting reply will be given,” the Home Minister said.
Speaking about other achievements of the Modi Government, he said there were many issues such as abrogation of Articles 370, 35-A, which gave special powers to Jammu and Kashmir and the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act were sorted out in no time.
“August 5, 2019 will be written in Indian history with golden letters. People were saying that if Article 370 is abolished then it will lead to a bloodbath but no one could even dare to throw a pebble, let alone bloodbath. Prime Minister Modi completely integrated Kashmir with rest of India by abolishing Article 370,” Shah said.
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