Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Apr 1: In a decisive move to counter rising criminal activities, including high-profile jewellery heists in Arrah and Patna, Bihar Police has proposed the establishment of two high-security prisons to house hardened criminals, Maoists, and fundamentalists.

These prisons are planned to be set up in remote and deserted locations, ensuring maximum security and preventing criminals from operating from behind bars.

Additional Director General (ADG) of Bihar Police Headquarters, Kundan Krishnan, stated that a formal proposal for the construction of these high-security jails will soon be submitted to the Union government for approval. The Bihar Special Task Force (STF) has already shortlisted two potential sites for the facilities.

The move comes in response to recent major heists, including the sensational robbery at a Tanishq jewellery showroom in Arrah on March 10, where six armed criminals looted jewellery worth approximately Rs 25 cr. Swift police action led to the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of stolen jewellery worth Rs 15 cr. One of the key suspects, Chunmun Jha, was later killed in an encounter with the Bihar STF in Araria district. Another high-profile robbery also took place at Jiva Jewellery showroom in Danapur, Patna.

Expressing concern over the involvement of technologically adept youths in organised crime, ADG Krishnan revealed that old criminals are luring young tech-savvy individuals into crime, often operating networks from within jails.

“In the Tanishq heist, criminals Sheru Singh and Chandan Singh orchestrated the robbery from inside West Bengal’s Purulia Jail, using digital devices found in their prison wards,” he disclosed.

To tackle this growing menace, the Bihar STF has compiled dossiers on 4,000 hardened criminals and 3,000 Naxalites across the state. The high-security prisons aim to isolate such elements, disrupt their networks, and curb organised crime.

Additionally, the Bihar government is exploring measures to confiscate properties of professional criminals as a deterrent.

“We also urge parents to monitor their children’s activities, especially in districts like Vaishali and Bhojpur, where youth involvement in crime is alarmingly high,” Krishnan added.