Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Mar 2: DGP Prisons Alok Mohan said, “The work on a new central jail in the outskirts of Bantwal will be completed in two years.”

DGP Alok visited the police commissioner’s office on Tuesday March 2. Speaking to media he said, “The central prison at Bantwal will have all high security specifications. The work is in full swing. In Dakshina Kannada, we have a district jail which is quite small and can accommodate 300 inmates in it. Convicts who are under trial in the district jail have been moved to the central jail at Shivamogga.”

“When queried about mobiles phones and ganja in jails, Alok said, “This is a serious issue. During several raids, we found mobile phones and ganja in the prison. We are taking all kind of precautionary measure over the issue. Regarding group clashes in the jail, whenever inmates are sent to prison, we make sure that they get separated or transferred to other jails to avoid group clashes.

“We have started the ‘e-mulakat’ facility for the jail inmates due to Covid pandemic to talk to their families. In Dakshina Kannada, a total of 170 inmates have spoken to their families through the facility. There is a certain protocol to be followed in ‘e-mulakat’ where the central prison will give a particular link to the inmates, time to log in and to speak to their families,” he said.

When asked about the sting operation where police personnel were seen granting rooms for rent in jail with all facilities, Alok said, “Regarding the issue, we have suspended six officers. We have also taken measures to rotate staffs every time for room allotment in the jail.”

Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, DCP Hariram Shankar and others were present.